


Of all the Stars in the Sky

by SabrinaT



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Complete, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-05-28 13:58:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 24,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15050654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SabrinaT/pseuds/SabrinaT
Summary: Poe Dameron never meant to go on a mission to Armitage Hux's home planet, let alone to abduct his wife, to use as a bargaining chip against the First Order. He also never meant to almost die at her hands, and to be left with an undying feeling that he belonged by her side.****COMPLETE****





	1. The Lights between us

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!! Thanks for clicking, hope you enjoy :D

-Do not go any near her. Do not even look in her direction. She stays where she is, guards and all that activated, at all times. I don’t even want her to be alone when she goes to shower. Understood?

The cadets nodded their heads, one of them immediately looking away from the cell door. He had been focusing on it ever since Poe had summoned them, wondering what it contained, who she was, and what led everyone to look so scared. Poe just looked mad, pissed even maybe, his own eyes down on the ground, even when addressing the small group of young people.

-That is all. Please, do as I say. This was a mistake, and it is up to us to rectify it. Or at least not let it… her… it… wake up and bite us in the ass. I told Leia… I mean the general… that she would come to regret her decision. And I hope to be wrong. None of you… And I mean it… None of you are getting hurt if you do as I say. No one will be here alone, you will always work in pairs, and your shifts will be rotating as often as possible. Just follow the rules and we should all be fine.

The youngsters nodded again. There were not many of them, and especially after Crait it was a miracle even ten people had signed up. The Falcon had simply stopped at an outpost, and had left with these ten young souls, whose first mission was to be terrible.

The meeting that had decided to go ahead and capture the prisoner had been short. After intel had reached Leia’s ears, she had made up her mind, and in five minutes ordered Poe to find a way to bring her… it… her on board. He had no desire to do such a thing, even before he knew what she was. They had stopped at yet another outpost, gotten him a decrepit excuse for a ship, and made him take off, to the outer rim of all places.

Poe had arrived just fine, knowing at once, due to the information of Maz’s friends had collected, which one of the buildings was his destination. Austere, but imponent nonetheless, the mansion was every bit as he thought it would be. It was not entirely surprising that Hux had decided against moving away, this place screamed order and precision. However, for the official house of the General of the First Order, something was wrong.


	2. Queen of the Castle

_Lauren O’Connel- House of the Rising Sun_

There were no guards, no alarms, nothing. Poe managed to walk through the front door, slamming it even, and look around the foyer, taking in how grand it all was, even more so on the inside. It would take forever to go through the whole building, and he did not doubt that she… it… she would hide as soon as she heard footsteps. She could even be seeing him there and then, and Poe had no way of knowing. Something was starting to bother him, and at the beginning he thought it was the lack of security measures. But then he got a sick feeling in his stomach, and the hairs on the back of his head were on their edge. Poe Dameron was as brave as they could get, but there was something bothering him, as if she was indeed observing him, like a cat would a mouse in a trap. Shaking himself, waking up from those thoughts, he brought himself to step forward, facing the double staircase which led to the upper floors. One by one, he climbed the steps, very aware that cold sweat dripped down his spine.

“There is something extremely wrong with this place” he muttered to himself, this time unable to shake off the negativity. It increased as he climbed the stairs, reaching its peak when he approached the set of doors propped at the top.

“It’s like… it’s haunted” he whispered to himself again. And then a thought came over him.

“Maybe someone arrived before I did and… got down to business.” He muttered, adding to the other words only he could hear. In all honesty, he didn’t know what he wished: for the girl to be dead already, for her to have been taken away by someone else to the same purposes Leia wanted to use her for, or for her to be hidden, docile, even scared. Poe hadn’t considered it so far, but he was willing to bet Armitage Hux was not the best husband in the world. Maybe this poor woman was out of her mind scared, maybe she was abused and made to be a mere brooding cow. In that case, this would be more of a rescue mission than a kidnapping. And Poe had to admit he did not hate the idea of saving a damsel in distress from a First Order general, especially one like Hux, whom he did not like one bit.

For some reason, this set of doors was taking some effort from him. He needed to open them, there was no other way into the house, but his brain was drowning in all kinds of thoughts, to the point where he didn’t even know what was holding him back. With his final strength, he pushed the double doors open, and took a step forward.

The house was built around an open courtyard, with rooms to the left and right, but only a large balcony directly in front. To reach it, he would have to go by the room doors, around the courtyard.

The doors were closed, and locked as well, Poe confirmed, as he tried them one by one, on both sides. Knocking on each, he obtained no response. As far as he could make out, that was the entirety of the house, weirdly shaped as it was. There was nothing below except for a fountain, no more room doors or anything. He looked down, leaning on the balcony rail a little, trying to make out every corner, looking for a body, searching for a whimper, a moan, something that told him where the girl was, and in what state she was in.

“Hey! Is someone here? I’m… I’m here to help” Poe ended up shouting. He was feeling more confident now, no more cold sweats, not even nervousness. In truth, he felt as if he was floating across the galaxy, happy, it all smelled so nice after the Falcon. It was nice being alone, to not feel crammed. His hands were on the rail, his eyes focusing on the fountain, his back directly facing the doors which had gotten him into that part of the house. He had gone around, looked everywhere. The girl wasn’t there. Maz’s friend and informant was wrong. There was no one in that house.

Poe found it hard to take the eyes off the fountain. They seemed to be glued. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t. He had to look around, he had to keep looking, he couldn’t disappoint Leia, he couldn’t go back without the girl. His desire to find her was so huge it didn’t fit into his heart anymore, it reached his brain, the tips of his fingers, it flooded his thoughts, until it became too much. Before even thinking it through, without any ounce of control, he was screaming at the top of his lungs.

“I NEED YOU RIGHT NOW, COME OUT FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE HIDING” he screamed, immediately regretting it. His throat was on fire, it stung from how loud he had yelled, but his insides were a little less on fire. His eyes were still heavy, but he managed, with great effort, to take them off the fountain.

“Come here” he faintly heard, a whisper, nothing more than that, which seemed to come directly from his brain. It came from his right, so that’s where he looked first, failing to perceive the source of the sound.

“Here” Poe heard again, this time on his left. Turning his tired eyes that way, he once more failed to capture even a glimpse of the person who had spoken these three words. Turning around amounted to nothing as well.

“Right here”

She stood on the other end of the building, the bit of the balcony which was open to the outside, overlooking a stiff ravine. Her back was turned to Poe, but he could make out the blonde hair, curled inwards flawlessly, hitting just below her shoulders. The girl was wearing a long robe, or dress, made from the purest white silk, which glistened in the sunlight, conferring her a halo, a divine aura that made Poe choke on his own saliva. Something was wrong, he thought to himself yet again, completely convinced he had fallen and hit his head, and now being faced with hallucinations.

“Why are you here? Why did you need me to come out from wherever I was hiding?” she asked, her voice sounding much closer than the distance between them could allow.

“I… My name is Poe Dameron, I… I’m a pilot. I’m with the Resistance” Poe said, the words leaving his mouth against his will. The plan had been to get in the house, get the girl, get her to the Falcon, blackmail Hux and then achieve some sort of truce. He wasn’t supposed to let out his identity to her, especially not when she was far enough so that she could run away, or even throw herself off the balcony.

“The Resistance? Fascinating” she replied, the words being pronounced to exhaustion, each sound rolling off her tongue in excess. Poe had never seen a snake in person, but he was sure that was what they would sound like if they spoke human language. It wasn’t at all unpleasant, especially because nothing about that woman was unpleasant. Only her environment was oppressive, and Poe was inclined to believe she had no say in the matter, the house was her husband’s. He could rather see her in the middle of plants and pastel colours, not in the stark whiteness of the Hux mansion, devoid of decorations and any comfort.

“Miss… Lady… I need you to come with me” Poe ended up saying, still unable to move an inch from where he had been standing for a good ten minutes.

“With you? Away from here?” the girl asked, looking slightly over her shoulder. Poe could not make out the colour of her eyes, only the outline of a perky little nose.

“Yes”

“To keep me captive, send word to General Hux, blackmail him and negotiate truce” she stated, less as a fact, more like an interesting possibility, one she would entertain for the time being.

“That would be the plan”

“Fascinating” she repeated, the word sounding more and more reptilian. “So you are Poe Dameron. Good to meet you, finally. I have heard a lot about you, as I am sure you’re aware. If you were a woman, I would be forced to hunt you down and have you killed for taking up more of my husband’s thoughts than me” she said, her tone dropping a subtle octave.

“I suspected Hux didn’t appreciate my jokes as much as others”

“Oh, but I do. I do, I do appreciate a good joke. So much so that I would like for you to tell me one, right now. Come here, so I don’t miss a bit of it” the girl said, still looking over her shoulder, but never turning completely.

Poe figured he would have to move at some point, and now seemed like a good enough moment. He didn’t feel any kind of hostility from her, so he advanced somewhat confidently. Choosing his left, he went past the doors again, feeling his heart beating quickly. If anything, he was bracing for whatever he could find, even if the girl seemed docile enough. His biggest fear, completely unjustified, was that she was badly injured, badly hurt. There was nothing he hated more than a woman beater, and Hux would pay for whatever he did to this poor being.

Her eyes never left his, following his movement throughout the balcony. Now that he was approaching her on her left, Poe could see everything she was willing to show him, the bit of her face that wasn’t covered by either her hair or her shoulder. The nose was indeed a perfect little sculpture, but her eyes, at least the one he could see, was nothing less than haunting. It was neither brown, nor hazel, it was a bright amber tone, almost yellow, deeply golden. Her skin was pure white, almost as fair as the silk wrapping her figure.

“Tell me a joke. Make me smile. But first, come here. Come closer. I won’t bite. Not this time” she hissed, her voice soft, but harsh at the same time. This being was not human, Poe thought to himself, rendered unable to form a word. However, his feet were not as paralysed, and he took one, then two, and finally ten steps forward. She was now within arm reach, and he could just snatch her away, to the transport, and to Falcon. Or maybe not.

“I called him… I called him…” Poe started, but then he couldn’t continue. Her eye was wide open, fixated on him, her head slightly tilted to the side, waiting for the joke he had wordlessly promised. “I called his ship… from my x-wing… and called him… called him…”

“Say it. Please. Please” she whispered, each letter in the words being pronounced carefully.

“Called him…”

And then there was darkness, complete and utter darkness. When Poe woke up, Finn was looking down on him, eyes wide, almost the size of plates.


	3. The murderous laugh

“It was my mistake. I took the informant’s intel at face value, didn’t even stop to think… I wanted this to work more than I wanted to consider the danger. Rumours have been around for so long, everyone has heard them… That he keeps her locked, that he is abusive… “Leia said, her hand supporting her forehead, elbow on the table.

“I heard them too, back when I was there. Everyone knew… everyone knew…” Finn said, his hands twitching on his lap. He could not get the image out of his head. He had gone to rescue Poe, see why he hadn’t been back in due time. All he found was his friend, laying on the floor, in a growing puddle of blood. The sharp fine lines on his neck were the sources of the vital liquid, but there were more, Finn later found out.

Strangely enough, the girl was there too. For a second, both him and Rey stood there, not even knowing how to proceed, how to deal with Poe, and much less how to deal with the girl, simply kneeling by his side, hand resting on his forehead, her gown soaked in blood.

“Off of him. Now.” Finn had shouted when he regained his voice, when his mind started to get over what he was seeing.

“He needs help” the girl said, not looking up from Poe, using her own robe to soak the blood coming from his neck.

“Off of him, and I SAID NOW” Finn repeated, grabbing the girl by the neck and throwing her to the side. Rey was already tending to Poe, calling his name, snapping her fingers in front of him. He gave no response.

“What did you do?” Rey asked, seeing that Finn had the girl by the neck, pushing her to the ground, a knee digging deep into her spine. It was hurting Rey just by looking at the predicament. However, and since there was no one else around, that person was the one responsible for whatever happened to Poe.

“What did she do? It’s very obvious, isn’t it? Look at her hands” Finn urged, and Rey obeyed. Indeed, it was obvious. Long, sharp, and oval shaped, her nails were covered in dried blood. “Rey, you know what she is, don’t you?”

“No. I thought she was human” Rey confessed, looking at the woman, hearing her hissing and gasping for breath.

“That’s not what I mean. Look at her nails. And now look at this” Finn said, using his free hand to take a slender arm and hold it up for Rey to see. The sleeve on her dress had backed down a little, and they could see a long, thin, sheath of metal, profoundly decorated. “I only heard of them, I had never seen one, I would never have thought they… existed.”

“There is something you are not telling me and I would like for that to change as soon as possible. We need to take Poe out of here” Rey urged, trying to lift the man off the ground and failing. She would have to use the Force, if she could.

“Hitmen. People who kill others for the First Order. Only they have this kind of metal. Of course, Hux has it too, but he’s the general. There was a decree some time back, stating that they had been abolished, but that people should be careful as they were not all rounded up and killed. I had no idea he… I had no idea he kept one of his own, as a wife nonetheless” Finn spat out, his knee digging into her spine a bit more.

“Why did she stay then? She could have run away after injuring Poe” Rey said, getting to her feet and concentrating on getting Poe up in the air. The simple movement made him come to his senses and groan.

“No time to discuss it now, let’s just go, get him to a medic and get this… thing into a cell. Pretty sure her loving husband will want her back, doing his dirty work.” Finn said, such disdain and hatred in his voice it scared Rey.

As Rey moved Poe to their transport, Finn yanked the girl off the floor, careful to bind her hands with his own behind her back. As they started following Rey, she realised something that didn’t contribute to her peace at all. What she thought had been gasps for air were muted laughs; the murderer was having the time of her life.


	4. Caged

-You should have known! You should have known something was wrong when you didn’t find guards. You should never have entered that house, let alone without informing us that there was no security! – Leia said, unloading on Poe some of the rage she felt towards herself.

-I wanted to do the job, I just assumed that no guards meant… Meant no danger- Poe said, sitting on his cot. He was finally awake, after his wounds were taken care of. As for the girl, she was in a cell, being guarded by two of the new cadets. The cell door was electrified, so there was no way she could even get to them.

-It never occurred to you that the First Order would guard any bargaining token with all they had? You thought Hux would just leave his wife alone in that mansion, for her to be taken by the first person who held a grudge against him or the First Order? - Finn said, himself extremely angry.

-No! Honestly it didn’t. And at no point in all this did it occur to me that she would attack me.

-Amalia. Her name is Amalia. - Rey intervened.

-Do I care what her name is? DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE WHAT HER NAME IS? - Poe exploded, his fists clenching. -SHE IS PURE EVIL AND I HAVE TWO CADETS LOOKING AFTER HER.

-What else do you know? – Leia asked, her expression softening as she turned to Rey. Finn was left to try and calm Poe down.

-Place of birth is unknown. BB-8 got some information about her affiliation with the First Order, but nothing very important. It says officer, but if Finn is right that is not what she was, is it? – Rey said, battling with herself as to whether to divulge the only information she had which was out of the ordinary.

-No, not exactly. Do we know why this marriage happened?

-No… I expect that would be important?

-Very. Convenience means the General will be less tempted to come and get her, or to talk to us. Love… that would paint a different picture – Leia said, sensing that Rey had something she was thinking about whether to tell or not.

\- Then I suppose you need to know. When I went to talk to her… even on board of the transport… well… I could sense something. Someone strong with the Force. With which side I couldn’t tell. I needed to come closer to her. I need to be in contact with her. – Rey stated, deciding to leave aside her mere suspicions.

\- No, no… you saw what she did to Poe. I’m not sure why she allowed us… or better, Finn… I don’t know why she allowed you two to bring her here. I cannot risk her finishing the job with you Rey.

-What if Finn and Poe and even BB-8 come along? I just need a second, I need… need to come into physical contact with her. A second would be enough I think. – Rey assured, and she could see Leia was considering it.

\- A second. That will be all. And she will be restrained. – Leia commanded.

Rey entered the cell block, and, escorted by Poe, Finn, and a hesitant Rose, made her away to the furthest cell. The cadets were still in their position, which made a sigh of relief run through them. At least the restraints seemed to work.

  * I need to talk to you – Rey said, trying to keep a neutral tone. All she could see in the dark were those horrible eyes, it was like staring down a very big cat.
  * Yes? – the girl replied, and Rey suddenly realised she didn’t have the need to blink. It made her own eyes open and close in a second, which seemed to amuse the prisoner.
  * I’m Rey, and your name is Amalia, isn’t it? – Rey asked, in an attempt to be cordial. Maybe if she was, the murderer wouldn’t feel tempted to attack someone else on board the ship.
  * Why are you here? You could have escaped. Why are you here? Why did you allow Finn to take you? – Rey asked, and she could feel Finn’s curiosity flaring over the anger.
  * I couldn’t escape. I couldn’t take one more step. I couldn’t do as much as bruise you right now. You can come in here if you want, I don’t have the strength to harm you. – Amalia admitted, even if her eyes were still as threatening as ever. – But I am telling you things you already know. I have been around others like you, one other in particular, I can feel your… scent from a distance.



Poe recalled that way of enunciating words, and his first instinct was to pull Rey back. She was standing too close to the door, close enough for a sharp nail to go straight to her neck.

  * You know Ben.
  * Yes, I know Ben. And Ben knows me, and he knows. Before I knew, before my husband even suspected. – Amalia stated, her voice as clear as water. Rey now knew she had been right. A wave of relief washed over her.
  * So it isn’t… it isn’t you.
  * Only slightly. I can tell, and I can feel… but I can’t do what you do, I can’t use it.
  * What are you talking about? Can someone please tell me what is going on? – Poe asked, when he had enough of Rey, a good honest person, talking to an evil monster, who hid her brutality behind the most beautiful frame.
  * She’s expecting. Her child is strong with the Force. – Leia whispered, making Rey nod.
  * Kill it. Kill them both. Serves them right. Serves them right, and serves Hux right for…
  * Poe! Are you hearing what you’re saying? – Leia almost yelled, shock evident in her voice. – The child is innocent, and this woman… this woman might not be what Finn thinks she is.
  * Leia… General! Whatever she is, she attacked me. Left me close enough to death for me to know I am not ready to go! – Poe protested.
  * You came into my house, flat out told me that you were there to take me away, I feared for my child and for myself, I feared for Arm… for my husband. – Amalia said, sounding human for the first time. Rey could feel it was true, that she had been scared for her baby, and that she wanted to defend herself.
  * Your husband got our message. He is yet to reply. That is how much he cares about you. You’re nothing but a brooding cow, there to warm his bed when he comes home once every blue moon, after slaughtering innocents throughout the galaxy! – Poe shouted, grabbing the bars on the door and immediately backing off, as they were electrically charged.
  * Maybe that is true. And if it is, I would expect you to know I am aware of it, and I would expect you to pity me. As to the other question, that man there is right. I killed people for a living. But I in no way worked for the First Order, and you can take my word on that- Amalia stated, getting up to face Poe, their faces inches away from each other.
  * Rey? – Rose asked, knowing Rey could tell whether the prisoner spoke the truth or not.
  * So who did you work for? – Rey asked, knowing Amalia spoke the truth.
  * For whoever had more money – Poe spat out, his eyes still focused on the yellow ones who stared back.
  * If you didn’t work for the First Order… how did you… how did you marry a First Order officer? – Leia asked, convinced it was not convenience. She was pretty sure Brendol Hux would never marry his son off to a mercenary.
  * She was sent to kill someone there, weren’t you? You were sent to kill Hux himself. Someone paid you to do that – Finn said, his voice no louder than a whisper.
  * And how would you know? – Poe asked, in total disbelief.
  * I heard something… while I worked there. About an attempt to kill an officer… they said a mercenary had done it, but that whoever it was had not been caught. And a few days later rumours started going around about the general, saying he had taken two days off. – Finn explained, feeling like that had all happened a lifetime ago.
  * Is this true? – Rey asked, seeing that neither Amalia nor Poe could take their eyes off each other.
  * – the prisoner simply said, extending her hand, displaying two sets of rings. On her left ring finger, a solitaire diamond, and beneath it a band covered in tiny little diamonds. On her pointer, she had a large amber coloured stone, and beneath it a simple gold band.
  * Excuse me if I don’t find it quite believable that a general takes a murder attempt so lightly he asks the person paid to do it to marry him within days. – Poe laughed, although he was not at all amused.
  * That is a story which does not concern you, pilot. – it was Amalia’s turn to spit out the words, her face coming so close to Poe’s their noses were nearly touching.
  * It does when you are STANDING ON THIS SHIP, AFTER TRYING TO KILL ME! - Poe screamed, forcing Finn to pull him back.
  * Do you mean us any harm? – Leia asked, when Finn had removed Poe from the premises, and there was only her, Rey and Rose to deal with Amalia.
  * To you? No. I have no interest in whatever it is that you are doing. I never did. I don’t take sides. I understand what you did, I understand I am needed for your truce proposal. My husband would never parlay with you if you didn’t have me. – Amalia said, confirming at least one of Leia’s suspicions.
  * How was it that you came to marry that man? – Leia asked, sensing something in the way Amalia reacted. When Poe had asked, her energy had been filled with a quiet anger. Now, in the presence of only women, and women who had never came to physically attack her, Amalia was a bit more relaxed, even though she still looked like she was ready to pounce, her yellow eyes shining dangerously.
  * I was sent to kill Armitage Hux, and I almost succeeded in doing so. I entered the ship during the night, eluded guards and sentinels, and managed to get to his quarters. Needless to say, he was not asleep, he was sitting at his desk. He had his back turned to me, it would be so easy to just… - Amalia said, interrupting herself to examine her nails, polishing one of them on her shirt. – I raised my hand, as silently as I could… but then he spoke, not even turning to me. “Go ahead. Do it. There will be someone to take my place before dawn” he said. I didn’t know if he wanted to die, or what was it, but I couldn’t do it in the end. Mind you, I have killed people from all walks of life, and I never even hesitated. Now I think it was because he wasn’t scared, because he didn’t raise a hand at me. He simply said those words and then turned to face me, as calm as can be. Never thought you could feel something for the first time if you haven’t experienced it before, but I loved him there and then.
  * Like Poe loved you there and then, didn’t he? – Rey asked, her voice cracking a little when she understood what was going on, when she picked up on the dam of emotions that had broken within the pilot, as soon as Finn had taken him away.
  * That I would not know. All I ask is for you to tell my husband that I am fine, that our child is fine. We have… we weren’t supposed to have this baby. And he needs to… he needs to know our miracle is safe.
  * He has been notified. Listen, we cannot take you out of this cell. But I will make sure you are well looked after. That I can promise you. I will not hold against you what you have done in the past, no one is innocent – Leia said, exchanging a look with Rey, who couldn’t do more than lower her eyes. – But this child you are carrying is certainly not to be held accountable for anything that is going on.
  * Thank you – Amalia said, looking Leia in the eyes, without any anger behind her own.




	5. Daydream

  * You cannot be serious. Tell me you’re not serious right now or I will need to start breaking stuff – Poe shouted, for the fourth time in a row. He had just seen food being taken to the cell block.
  * Do you realise what was done to her? I was able to enter her memories for a second, she even allowed me to. Hux had his father killed because he drugged her and forced her into undergoing a procedure to prevent her ever bearing a child. She was attacked and… and brutalised in ways I would like to forget, even before she was a teenager. She is not much older than me, and yet she has lived a thousand lives! And you’d have an innocent child killed, a child that girl calls her miracle! - Rey said, not even recognising Poe. She had no way of knowing if she was right, if the pilot really was lost in love with the woman who had attacked him, but she had her suspicions.
  * Rey, the only miracle Hux could ever be happy for is the destruction of every single person on this ship. Him and Ren want us all dead, and the best thing for us to do is to retaliate. They killed almost every member of the resistance, we are all we have left. Kill that woman, let her child die, and maybe then Hux will know true pain, and start to pay for what he has done to us, to the galaxy – Poe stated, making Finn slightly nod. He didn’t agree with the death of the child, but he could see his friend’s point. Most of all, he could understand his anger.



_Incoming message_

_We are ready to accept parlay terms, in order for Lady Hux to be returned where she belongs. She is not involved in this war, and the First Order believes it is a war crime to kidnap an innocent woman for purposes of manipulation. Furthermore, general Hux and Supreme Leader Ren have no desire to engage in conversation with the rebels, outside of negotiations which will put an end to this shameful attack._

-So, they’ll talk… but only to negotiate her going home. – Leia said, after hearing the communication.

-Beautiful – Poe scorned, laying carelessly on a nearby sofa.

-No reply to the news she asked us to send. I wonder if she knows…- Rose started, but then another message arrived.

_Incoming message_

_My dearest love:_

_I could not be more relieved to know that you are alright, and so is our baby. I will do whatever I can to bring you home, safe and sound. It is entirely my fault that you were put in this predicament, and for that I am willing to pay for the rest of my life. I promise you I will never put you in danger again. I hope to see you again very, very soon, and until then I have the holovids of the little one’s beating heart to remind me of the most precious thing in the whole galaxy._

_I love you more than words, more than actions, more than the number of stars in the sky._

-Take the recording to the holding cell. It wasn’t for us to listen to anyways. – Rey asked, handing the tape to Finn, who forced himself to do as he was told.

-For a second I thought he wouldn’t reply to her. – Rose said, finding herself sighing in relief.

-Me too. Goes to show that whatever people seem, there is always more than meets the eye- Leia said wisely, taking Rey’s hand and giving it a small squeeze.

\- They signed it the same way. You think it’s some sort of code? – Rey asked, feeling that her eyes were not as dry as she would have liked them to be.

-Possibly a way of making sure the message comes from the right person. Must have some kind of meaning to the two of them, other than the obvious one. And now we know exactly what is going on, and we know we have the right leverage. I always did worry that she was only a marriage of convenience, but now I can see it is not the case. That man truly loves her, and if talking to us and agreeing to some terms gives him back his wife and child, then that’s what he is going to do. We’ll just have to be careful not to let Poe any near him. – Leia stated, seeing Rey nod in agreement. She could also see the tears forming in her eyes, a fact that didn’t pass by Rose either.

-Disarm this – Poe asked, prompting the cadet to look at him. He had received orders from that very same man not to disengage the protections on that cell, to not even leave the premises while on duty.

-Commander, I am not sure…

-Do as you are told, and you’ll be fine. – Poe said, trying to sound reassuring. The cadet went to the control panel, and disengaged the cell doors, allowing Poe to open them. -You can go now.

\- But commander…

-I said go! – Poe shouted, torn between focusing on the two cadets, or on those eyes, on her soft laughs.

The cadets seemed to be convinced, not able to discuss their superior’s decision. Strangely enough, they thought, Poe had changed his mind in less than a week.

  * You shouldn’t be so harsh on them. They’re nothing but kids – Poe heard the girl say, her voice eerily close to where he was standing.
  * They are cadets, I am their commander, I am their superior, and they will listen only to me, obeying my orders without question.
  * Fair enough – Amalia conceded, her long lean fingers embracing to bars, her face as close to Poe’s as before. – And why are you here? Why are we alone? Have you come to kill me? Did your general finally give in to your demands?
  * Leia never gives in to my demands. My general, unlike yours, is strong, and good.
  * My general? Did I not tell you the other day I do not work for the First Order? Never did? – she asked, curiously.
  * Doesn’t mean that I buy it.
  * Whether you do or you don’t I don’t really care, changes nothing about the truth of my past and present situation. Why are you here? What made you send them away? It is not to make sure I am in good health, I know for a fact you won’t rest until I’m dead.
  * I want to know the truth. Why did you allow Rey and Finn to capture you? – Poe asked, his tone of voice softening slightly. He truly was curious.
  * Have you ever been married, commander? – Amalia asked, catching Poe off guard.
  * I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t. Defending myself against you took more of a toll on me than I would like to admit. I have a child inside me, and this child is anything but ordinary. It is taking me all the strength and then some to keep us both alive and well. Even in the comfort of my own home, even with my husband by my side, I am often times too weak to get out of bed. Force-sensitive people are an endeavour, and take their toll on the women who carry them. Ask your general, she will tell you as much.
  * And why should I believe you? Why should I believe that you are not a spy, but rather a poor pregnant girl, who wants nothing more than to her loving husband to come and rescue her, and whisk her away to kriffing Naboo, where you can stare into each other’s eyes for days on end? – Poe said, his voice dangerously low.
  * I have no communication devices, I have no way of sending word to whoever it is, I am not even wearing my weapons. If you wanted to come in here, guns blazing, and killed me, I would be powerless to do anything. Attacking you back at my house was purely an instinct.
  * I will not trust you, and I will make damn sure you are never returned to your brute of a husband. Understand? I will personally make sure he never sees your face again. – Poe stated, so matter of factly he expected her to at least be a little scared, or sad. Instead, she just smiled.
  * Don’t make promises you cannot keep, commander. I have found his way in the past, I can do it again tomorrow if needs be. But I am ready to bet that he will have your general sitting at the negotiation table even before the end of this lunar cycle. And then yes, I would not say no to a little trip to Naboo. As your stormtrooper said, I never really did get more than a two-day honeymoon.



Poe couldn’t contain his anger anymore. The spite on that creature, standing there, in his cell holding block, telling him that she was not a spy, but that she could go and find her husband the next day. There was no honour or compassion in that human, only sarcasm and entitlement. He could see her life, clear as day in front of his eyes, reclined in silk pillows of various pastel colours, eating everything and anything she wanted, stroking her baby bump languidly, never wanting for anything. She had a blessed existence, and despite what Rey had said, she had always had it, Poe did not believe for a second she was ever mistreated. Everything about her, even in a cell, on a ship in the middle of the galaxy, screamed luxury and pampering.

But then a different image took over him. This time, she was sitting outside a small cabin, greenery all around her, flowers in her hair, simple clothes, her golden eyes more brown than amber, her hair a bit less looked after. Her nails were short, and to her breast she held a small bundle, which cooed at steady intervals. Suddenly, a ship descended right in front of her, making her hair wave a little, a smile spreading across her face. Poe was shocked to discover that from the ship, he himself came out, walking briskly to the woman, scooting her in his arms and holding her close, but not too close, due to the little black-haired baby she held as if it was the last hope for the galaxy.

  * So that’s what you want. That is why you’re here. – he vaguely heard Amalia saying, before he shook himself back to reality, barely believing the treason his brain had just committed.
  * Did you put that in my head? – he asked, breathlessly.
  * That was already there, I just wanted to see it as well, so I fished it out of your memories.
  * Get off my head – Poe purred threateningly.
  * I am sorry, did not mean to intrude – she replied, a small laugh penetrating through her lips, shockingly red against the paleness of her skin. – But someone said something that arose my suspicion, and I needed to know if it was true.
  * Don’t you think, for a mere second, that…



But he didn’t manage to say what he wanted. Softly, almost absent, her lips brushed on his, making sparks of excitement and apprehension run through his veins. It was wrong, he knew as much, he had known from the moment he had seen her, even before that, when he had sensed her. But there was no denying that the suggestion of a kiss sent his heart into a dance, and his brain into a fuzz.

  * Don’t do that. That’s what you did to him, and he… ended up at your feet. You’re evil… and I will not… - Poe said, but then her yellow eyes shifted, from cold to insanely warm.
  * I suppose it was. And I do suppose he did fall at my feet. But you are different, aren’t you? You refuse to bow to me, or to anyone. – she replied, her tone a bit more appreciative than Poe had anticipated, making him be very content with himself.
  * Especially to creatures like you. Murderers, traitors…
  * Not a traitor. Never took sides so I could not betray. Funny how that works, isn’t it? My loyalty resides with my husband, and with my child.
  * That loyalty did not prevent you from kissing me. – Poe said, forcing himself to keep a level head. However much he wanted to fall to her charms, there was something strange in the air, almost as if he wasn’t doing or feeling anything of his own volition. It scared him, and kept him anchored to reality.
  * -Oh, you poor thing… so much older than me, and yet so ignorant of the basic workings of love. A kiss is not disloyalty, and my husband and I agreed a long time ago that loyalty and faithfulness did not reside in anything else but love. He would not think any less of me, even if I was to make you strip down and make you mine right here and now. I have often done it in the course of my work, even for a brief period of time after our marriage.
  * A prostitute. A murderer and a prostitute. That is the only kind of woman who would marry Armitage Hux. – Poe spat out, hoping to at least cause her some loss of dignity. But it didn’t. Nothing that he said seemed to make the smile on her lips waver.
  * A murderer, yes. A prostitute, no. I don’t bed men for money, never have. When I was used for those purposes specifically, I was never paid. And then, when I did bed a man, it was because someone had paid me to kill him, and it is easier to get someone’s trust if you sleep with them. Men are so weak, and you are no better… Strong minded, yes, but weak to your desires, weak to know I could bring you to your knees with the flick of my tongue. – Amalia said, again rolling each letter off her tongue in a sensuous manner Poe was not certain he could resist. He was weak, his chest was tight, he couldn’t bring enough air to his lungs. However, he didn’t feel as lost as he did before: his feet were firmly planted on the ground, and he was surer that he could think for himself now.
  * I have no desire for you. Not knowing what hands have been on your… on your skin – Poe said, using that image to prompt himself to step away from the door a little bit.
  * Does it really matter? Does it? Wouldn’t you like to prove something to me? – she asked, innocuously enough for him to almost reply sincerely.
  * Stop getting into my head – he ended up saying, understand what she was doing once more.
  * Tell me. I haven’t asked anything, not even for water. I am asking you this now. You still owe me a joke.
  * I owe you nothing. And I certainly do not owe you access to what I may or may not be thinking. You are manipulating me, and I will not be a victim, I will not be your next victim. You already got your prize, what more could a bounty hunter and a killer want, other than her own personal general, wrapped around her finger? What would I be to you? A simple notch in your belt? Another kill, once you were done manipulating me, extracting Resistance secrets from my head? No. A thousand times no. We’re done here. – Poe said, turning his back to her, and ordering the cadets to return to their places.




	6. Teasing

Poe returned to the deck, wondering if anyone would notice how drenched in sweat he was. It wasn’t his turn to use the refresher, but he desperately needed one. He needed to wash off everything, and especially the feeling of her eyes on his body. There was something so wrong with him, she had cast some sort of spell on him the second he had entered her home.

  * Are you alright? Did she attack you, did she do anything? – he vaguely heard someone asking, noticing it was Finn after a few blinks, to refocus his vision.
  * No, it’s not like that.
  * So why are you sweating like this? Are you sick?
  * I’m ok. I can handle myself, she is just a woman. A monster underneath, when she has her strength. But not right now. – Poe stated, forcing himself to believe it. Truth was, she didn’t make a single move to attack him, even with the guards down, and the cadets gone.
  * Did she tell you anything we should know? – Finn asked, leading Poe to a sitting area and forcing him to sit down.
  * But she basically told me that she had done something to Hux… to make him fall for her. Which is why we need to be careful when approaching her. We never know what she can be thinking, what she might do.
  * Maybe Rey could do something? Maybe see if she intends to do something of that sort to someone – Finn suggested, not entirely sure how his friend’s powers worked.
  * I don’t know. All I know is that she is a liability, and that I want her either to be dead or out of here as soon as that can be arranged. – Poe insisted, not noticing the look that had just gone through his face. – Never thought I could feel bad for Hux, but here we are. The man is clearly intoxicated. Women like her should be killed at birth.
  * Don’t… don’t say that. I don’t… I don’t think this girl… whatever she might have done in the past… I don’t think she wants to harm anyone. And as for Hux… if she stopped doing what she did when they got married… maybe she didn’t really do anything to him to make him fall for her. Maybe it is true.
  * Don’t you… don’t fall for fairy tales, ok? First Order people don’t know the meaning of the word love, and you should know that better than anyone. They are evil, and Hux especially is as rotten as they come. Runs in the family. I can only imagine what that child will be in the future. I don’t want anything to happen to you, or Rose, or Rey, or Leia. I want you all to be safe. And her presence here is a risk I would rather not take.
  * Here again?
  * I have a question I need answered.
  * In the middle of the night. You should be sleeping.
  * I need to know this.
  * Ask away then. As always, I promise not to bite. Not this time.
  * Did you make him fall in love with you? Can you do that? Is it part of the powers you have, even if you are not completely strong with the Force? – Poe asked, taking a deep breath. Today, she wasn’t standing, her fingers around the bars. She was sitting down on the cot, hidden by the shadows. All he could see were her yellow eyes, and the glimmer of her rings.
  * No, what?
  * No, I cannot cast spells on people. Seduction, yes, but my own means. So, no need to worry, commander, I have not set my eyes, or my unknown and mysterious powers, on you. I have no need for that, nor can I actually do it. Satisfied? – Amalia asked, raising a hand to examine her nails, adjusting her diamonds slightly.
  * Not entirely. I have no way of knowing whether you’re lying or not.
  * Why would I lie? Effectively, I have never lied to you, or anyone aboard this ship. Only three people were aware of my pregnancy up until now, but your whole ship is in on it now. They could broadcast it to the galaxy if they wanted to. I hid nothing from you, or your people. I am even thankful for the food I’m given, and I appreciate the company.
  * Ok. That is all I needed to know – Poe said, starting to turn around. He didn’t like the way her rings shined in the dark. Most of all, he didn’t like how big the stones were, he could never even think of affording something like that.
  * I didn’t pick them, they were gifts.
  * Stop READING MY MIND! – Poe yelled, turning around at once, his cheeks flaming red.
  * It was just an observation. They’re quite heavy too, it makes it hard to eat sometimes. – Amalia teased, making the diamond catch a stream of light, and directing it to Poe’s eyes. The way he flinched made her laugh out loud.
  * I don’t care. Are you listening to me? I don’t care how much they weigh, how much they cost. I DO NOT CARE. And STOP READING MY THOUGHTS! – he repeated, this time turning around and exiting the cell holding block, fuming.




	7. Negotiation

  * What was it this time? – Finn asked, seeing Poe coming out of the cell holding block, fuming once again.
  * Kriffing woman, always taunting me, trying to seduce me or whatever it is. I feel violated. She knows what I’m thinking, she teases me with my own thoughts, even with that stupid extravagant set of rings she has.
  * – the other man said, trying not to laugh. It was obvious, but Poe seemed to be able to deflect the matter, as he always did. – Must have cost a pretty penny, have never seen stones like that.
  * Whatever they cost, it’s stupid, and extravagant, and could fund a lot of good things in the galaxy, if only that man had an ounce of respect and compassion for others. He doesn’t. He would rather adorn his pretty little prostitute with rings and clothes.
  * Man, don’t say that, that’s not what she is.
  * Excuse me, but how come you, and Rey, and Leia, all defend the person who came this close to end my life? Are you that eager to get rid of me? – Poe asked, making Finn frown. This wasn’t the Poe he knew, he didn’t recognise this man. Reckless, yes, mean-spirited and abusive, no.
  * That isn’t it at all, and I would suggest you take that back. All that is happening is that we understand what is going on, and we understand we brought someone into this who had no business in it. That is all. We all love you and respect you. I know I do. And I also know I don’t want to lose you – Finn said, his voice a bit more than a whisper, his eyes focusing on the floor, before they shifted to Poe’s face.
  * Buddy, I…
  * You don’t need to say a thing. All you need to do is come back to us. We know what she did to you, and we will not forgive her. But she is not her husband, and for all effects she did act in self-defence. You cannot expect the wife of a First Order general to believe it when she is told someone doesn’t mean any harm, that they’re just there to scoop her away for a bit, while trying to engage in peace conversations. And Rey said she really means no harm, that she is too weak to even try anything. Leia confirmed it is very difficult for a woman who isn’t completely strong with the Force to carry a baby who is.
  * She is weak, she’s growing weaker, that I could see. – Poe conceded.
  * I know. We are trying to get a doctor for the ship, and especially for her right now. We can’t keep on relying on bacta, our supplies are running low. I don’t even want to think what could have happened if we didn’t have any after we brought you in from Arkanis.
  * That sounds sensible. I am sorry for how I have been treating you guys, and I’m sorry for the things I said. But she…
  * She had a weird effect on me, like I am myself, but full of anger, and spite, and… jealousy. Seeing the rings on her fingers made me… I don’t know. It makes me realise how little I have. How little I could give h… give someone I loved.
  * Most people would say their loved one is enough. And those rings… don’t let them fool you. She has them, he gave them to her… because he is insecure. He wanted to brand her, he wanted people to know she was taken, and taken by a man so powerful he could buy her stones like those. – Finn said, feeling very proud of his deduction powers.
  * Hadn’t thought of that, not really… but I guess it would make sense.
  * It does. It is against First Order practise to wear any relationship symbols. I expect that is the notion with which Hux grew up, and I am also sure that in any other case, the woman he married would not even have a simple necklace to show for it.
  * That is all I have. A necklace. And my mom’s ring. – Poe said, reaching for it. It was the most valuable thing he owned, and he would only part ways with it when the person he was waiting for arrived.
  * Doesn’t make you less worthy. Not to me, at least – Finn said, trying to hide a smile. He knew he was making Poe uncomfortable, but he was having some fun. If anything, Finn wanted his friend to know that at least one person thought he was amazing, even if he didn’t have all the credits in the world.



A several lunar cycles went by, and still the peace negotiations were not agreed upon. The place had been chosen, but there was no agreement on to who would attend, and how would things take place. More than that, truce had to be arranged for the time of the meeting, but it was hard to grant it.

  * Tell them that she is alive and well, but that she needs medical attention. It would be in their best interest to speed up this meeting, so that she can return home. – Leia dictated to her secretary, who was then in charge of transmitting the communication to the _Finalizer_.
  * Anything else?
  * Tell general Hux that we do not oppose to allow him to speak to him wife through a holocall.
  * Very well, general. I will send these out immediately, and broadcast the answers to your quarters.
  * Thank you. Please tell Rey she can come in now.



Seconds later, Rey was walking into the general’s quarters.

  * I just sent word about the meeting. I am convinced we will have everything ready before the day is over. Would you accompany me to the meeting? – Leia asked, making Rey’s eyes widen.
  * You want me to go with you? To see Ben… I mean Ren and Hux? To try and have peace?
  * That is exactly what I want. Unless, of course, you are not… - Leia started, but Rey didn’t let her finish.
  * Ben wants to kill me! He will not like to see me, nor will any of them actually give us peace, or retreat from power! I can’t do it, I can’t go. I can’t even look at his face right now.
  * Fair enough.



_Incoming message_

_Lady Leia Organa:_

_We have decided that your conditions are to be met: we will meet in Coruscant, with a single unarmed ship. We will grant truce for the period of time during which you are in this planet, and will also allow you and your allies to retreat to the outer rim, without being chased. It is in your best interest to keep Lady Hux alive and well, ready to be delivered to her husband._

Leia and Rey heard the communication silently, but as soon as it was over, Rey protested.

  * So, what you are saying is that… That they will stop coming for us… until we’re in the outer rim… Then we’re fair game?
  * That is what I managed to get them to agree to.
  * But… I thought we were going for peace! We shouldn’t settle! We should demand a Galactic Alliance, we should demand… we should have them both removed from power!
  * My dear, that is what I would like to have. But for the time being, this is what was agreed upon. I don’t have any more leverage, and we both know the First Order would never agree to sue for peace, let alone let us have a sit in a future council when there are only twenty of us. – Leia replied, and Rey could tell how tired she was. – But there is something else, something that we have that you haven’t realised.
  * What is that?
  * Your kindness. That poor soul was snatched from her home, brought here, to suffer alone in a cell, using every strength she has to keep her child alive and growing. You showed compassion, learned her name. And I expect Amalia Hux has more influence on her husband than we assumed at the beginning. Maybe she will put in a word for us, try to soften his views a little.
  * You cannot seriously expect that to happen! – Rey protested, finding it very unlikely that something of the sort would ever happen.
  * But I do. We are in no condition to take giant steps. Every little step counts.



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for Reading this far! As per usual, comments are appreciated :D


	8. Forgiveness

Coruscant never knew sunlight. The day the two ships arrived, it was almost darker than usual, especially in the wood area they had chosen for their meeting. The Falcon landed, and a few minutes after so did a large black ship, sleek and elegant. Both access ramps descended, and from the came the emissaries.

  * Ben isn’t here. – Rey whispered to Leia, as they came out of the ship and into the fresh air.
  * They couldn’t risk the lives of both leaders. If one falls, the other is there to take the reins. – Leia explained, even though she too was disappointed.



Rey had never met the general of the First Order, and her first thought was that he was almost as a block of ice: no emotion on his face, nothing at all, a posture so rigid she wondered how he could keep it for so long. He didn’t even have a hair out of place, his uniform pristine, and his hands behind his back.

  * General Hux.
  * Lady Organa.
  * I expect you had a pleasant trip. – Leia said, making Rey smile a little. She could not help being incredibly charming, even towards the man that had caused them so much suffering.
  * Yours?
  * Pleasant enough. I expect you are not here to exchange formalities, or else you would have agreed to actually sit down at a table and revaluate the government of the galaxy. – Leia stated, looking straight ahead, looking every bit like the queen she was born to be.
  * I assume you are aware that there is no formality in taking a woman away from her home, away from her husband, and into a ship which doesn’t even have medical supplies. – Hux retorted, making Rey flinch. His voice was sharp as blades, and she could see that he was extremely angry beneath the calm façade.
  * I am, indeed. And allow me to say that I was not aware of Lady Hux’s state when I ordered my people to kidnap her. We needed leverage, and that is all I thought about. I couldn’t have imagined.
  * Nothing can be done to change the past. What is done is done. I have agreed to let you travel to a base, and I will even allow you to live there peacefully, without further attacks. That is all I can promise, on my part. If you do as you are told, you won’t have any problems. But if you try and revive your little… organisation, I will be forced to take action.
  * Yes, I understand the conditions. – Leia nodded, letting out a deep breath.
  * – Hux replied, raising his left hand to motion someone forward. It ended being what seemed like a ten-person medical team, equipped with a floating stretcher and more supplied than Rey had ever seen in her life.
  * Let these people through – Leia ordered to the ramp, and the medics were allowed to enter the ship. Five minutes later, they were back, a bit more frantic, one of them covered in blood.
  * Oh no, oh no, oh please no. – Rey could hear Leia muttering, her hands a bit shaky. Where was that blood coming from, what was happening? She had seen Amalia before they went down the ramp, and she seemed to be well enough, even if still incredibly fragile, much more so than when she arrived on board.



As much as she wanted to know what was happening, Rey’s eyes shifted to an entirely different scene. The ships were slightly apart, and the stretcher was being moved with extreme caution. The medics were yelling at each other, giving orders, attaching all kinds of machines to the woman lying there. But Rey was much more interested in what would happen to all that ice and all that mask, confronted with a situation of this sort. At first, all she could see were his eyes widening in pure fear. Hux’s hands were no longer behind his back, but clenched into fists by his sides. It was horrible, it was raw and pure anger, mixed with overwhelming fear.

  * He will never forgive us. He will never let us forget this. If only the maker allows her to live… I never intended for any of this to happen. – Leia said, looking down at her own hands.
  * I know, none of us did. It isn’t entirely our fault, they took their time, rejecting every approach we made. – Rey argued, not knowing what to do. As she was preparing to turn around and take Leia back to the ship, the stretcher reached the First Order general, and Rey could distinctively see a gloved hand taking a much paler one, dripping in blood.




	9. Blossom

The room was as blank and sterile as possible, and every care had been taken in order to make it the best possible hospital, in such a small ship. Once aboard the Finalizer, the patients would get better treatment, but for short periods of time, and for emergencies, it was good enough.

  * Both of them. – a voice said, belonging to the head medic. He was the head medic at Finalizer too, but had been removed from his duties by the general himself.
  * Thank you – the general nodded, not taking his eyes off his wife. She still hadn’t woken up, but he could tell she was recovering from the loss of blood. Her cheeks were a bit rosier, and her skin wasn’t as pale. She was luminous, as bright as a sunset, and as beautiful too. The thought of losing her had weighed like a ton on Armitage’s shoulders, nearly making him lose composure once or twice, when Ren tried to delay the peace talks. It had been such an uphill battle, but it was finally over. Amalia and the baby, safely on board a First Order ship, with all the comfort and care they could ever need.



It took her a while to finally open her eyes, flinching at first at the luminosity and stark whiteness of the room. But then she realised who was by her side, what had ended up happening. And it was perfect, it was amazing, after spending so many weeks inside a cell. He hadn’t realised she was awake, and it made her smile a little. His eyes were focusing on some sort of screen on the wall, which had stats on it. Maybe the distance to their home, to Finalizer, to somewhere else. All of a sudden, the thought of Naboo crossed her mind again. That would be so perfect, if only he wasn’t so busy, and if only she wasn’t in a hospital bed.

  * – she said, her voice not as strong as she would like it to be. Fearing he wouldn’t hear her, she managed to squeeze his hand, for once not covered in leather.



Amalia could see she had scared him, his pulse racing under her fingers. But then his expression softened, and a smile crept on his lips.

  * You scared me to death. Thought I had lost you – Armitage replied, bringing her knuckles to his lips, kissing her lightly.
  * I am way tougher than you think. So is baby – she stated, more sure than ever that it was true.
  * I know how tough you are. But still. I was scared. When they told me you were missing I just… couldn’t bring myself to function for longer than I would like to admit.
  * I didn’t like being away from you either. It’s not that I was mistreated or…
  * Love, you were taken against your will, and held in a cell. – Armitage managed to say, not wanting to hear one word in favour of the Resistance. – You were mistreated, you needed medical attention all hours of the day, and you didn’t get it. When they finally agreed to give you back, you were hanging by a thread. You and baby could… could not be here right now. And that I will never forgive.
  * I know. They asked me so many things. About us.
  * Why? – he asked, half wondering why they hadn’t wanted to know things about the First Order.
  * I don’t know. Wish I did, but at least no one asked me about what you’re up to and all that. I don’t even know, but still – Amalia said, very aware that her husband didn’t wish to discuss military matters with her.
  * It’s over now.
  * There’s something that has happened, and I couldn’t stop wishing you were there to feel it too.
  * What? – Armitage asked, curiously looking over his wife, trying to see something different in her, and coming up empty.



Without another word, Amalia took his hand and laid it softly on her belly. What was once a small bump, was now a much bigger one, as she approached her sixth month of pregnancy. For a second, he thought that was it, that she was showing him how much their child had grown. But then he felt it: a small little flutter, and then a strong kick.

  * Was that…
  * It was. Baby has been doing this a lot now. – Amalia smiled, seeing how happy her husband looked, almost transfixed.
  * Getting big too. This is incredible, it’s the most amazing thing in the world. Really, it is, I’m so happy I got to feel it. – Armitage said, barely able to contain his own happiness. He never knew anything like it, he had never known pure and unadulterated happiness. This was it. – The medics asked if you wanted to know if baby is a boy or a girl. They already know.
  * Do you?
  * Don’t want to lie to you, I’m dying to find out – he admitted, hoping Amalia agreed.
  * I don’t really mind either way, so sure, let’s find out – she replied, trying to sit up a little as the medic approached.
  * You have decided to find out, then. As far as we can tell, the baby is perfectly healthy, and you’re having a baby girl. Congratulations – he said, before leaving them to themselves again, to take in the news.
  * A girl. A baby girl. – Armitage said, in complete disbelief, leading Amalia to think he was disappointed.
  * You wanted a boy, didn’t you?
  * What? No. No, I… I didn’t want anything, I wanted a baby, I didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl, all I cared was that she was healthy. A baby girl. I’m so happy. I couldn’t be happier, honestly. A daughter, my daughter. I’m going to spoil her rotten.




	10. Dreams that we knew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *This chapter contains a bit of NSFW content*

Poe was roaming through the forest, and it seemed familiar enough. He had just landed on that planet, and so did the rest of the resistance. There was humidity, there were animals creeping around, there was a faint smell of rotten wood in the air.

He had a vague recollection of Leia asking him to go find something, but he couldn’t remember what it was. He kept walking and walking, sure that he would eventually either find it, or remember what it was.

“Come here.”

He stopped in his tracks as soon as he heard the voice. Looking around, he tried to figure out what the source of it had been, to no avail.

“Here. Poe, I’m right here, why are you pretending not to see me?” the female voice said again, punctuating her sentence with a giggle.

“I can’t see you, I really can’t, I am not making this up” Poe said, wondering why she sounded so familiar.

“Oh, silly me. I forgot you would never look up, you wouldn’t expect me to be here, not even in a million years” the woman said again, making him look up immediately. Long blonde hair, down to her waist, a braid tying her fringe to the side. Brown eyes with specks of gold, an oatmeal coloured dress that made her pale skin stand out marvellously. And then Poe remembered, as if waking up from a dream, that he had been chasing his partner. She had run off as soon as they landed on that strange planet, which was to be the new Resistance base.

“Come down from there. I don’t want you doing this kind of thing, it’s dangerous” Poe said, extending his hands. She was sitting on a tree branch, not very high, but still high enough for him to worry she might fall off.

“Fine… I give up. Had enough fun running from you” she admitted, jumping to his arms. Poe had every intention of putting her down, but the moment her eyes were on his, he couldn’t. He was assaulted by a wave of such intimate desire he felt himself hardening. He knew she could feel it, her legs around his waist, that intoxicating smell invading every sense he had, until he was left with nothing more than overwhelming need. Not missing a beat, her lips descended upon his, and Poe scrambled to find some support. No more than a couple of minutes later, he was buried so deep inside that woman he almost cried in relief, his lips placed firmly onto her neck, as his hips moved, first gently, and then just plain harshly. She seemed to enjoy it though, more and more as he picked up pace. Her hands managed to open the top of his flight suit, uncovering the simple white tank top underneath. In a swift second, she had her hands firmly anchored against his shoulder blades, and he could feel her nails sinking into his skin inch by painful inch. The pain didn’t deter him, it just urged him forward, as did her moans. One of her hands then moved to the back of his neck, and then he could feel warmth trickling down his back. He kept thrusting, chasing that high relentlessly, wanting her to be done before he was.

Slowly, his hips lost power, and soon enough he couldn’t hold her up anymore, his arms giving out, his body completely limp.

When Poe woke up, drenched in sweat, he realised it was just a dream.

* * *

 

  * Don’t you look like you had a good night of rest – Finn teased, handing Poe a mug of caff.
  * Kind of you to say. – Poe replied, matching the sarcasm.
  * What’s wrong?
  * Just… a nightmare. A bad one. Started amazingly well, ended in me bleeding out.
  * Still dreaming of that? – Finn asked, feeling bad for his friend. Amalia had been gone for some time, but Poe couldn’t forget what she had done to him.
  * Hard to forget an attempt on your life.
  * Especially if the attacker makes you fall in love with her – Finn said, silently enough so that Poe wouldn’t hear.
  * What was that?
  * Oh, nothing. I would however like to know how you managed to go from moaning in your sleep to dying.
  * Shit, you heard me? I am so sorry Finn, I really am… - Poe said, barely believing himself.
  * No worries. Happens to the best of us. Someone we know? Or shouldn’t I be asking that?
  * No one of relevance.
  * You sure? – Finn teased, pretty sure Poe would soon throw something at him. – I heard something about her new nickname. Lady Finalizer, they call her. She moved to a war ship, to deliver her child… in a war ship.
  * Don’t know who you’re talking about.
  * Yeah, you do. Don’t know why you ever let her go. Honestly, I wouldn’t have, but that is just me… I would have picked up a transport and then I would have just ran away, away from here, away from everything. – Finn said, half wanting to do just that with the man in front of him.
  * Really don’t know what you’re trying to say. I am not in love with that woman, nor will I jump in a ship and go save her from a First Order war ship. She is free to give birth to that demon child wherever she sees fit. – Poe stated, but the image of her holding that black haired baby would not leave his mind. For a split second, his knees weakened and his lips parted in a grin when he imagined doing what Finn had suggested.




	11. Flora

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short but it's very important!! Hope you like it despite the length :D

  * Maybe you should head down to the medical wing – Kylo said, startling his general, who was looking over the plans for a new fleet of TIE-fighters.
  * And why is that? If there is something I should know, I suggest you say it at once – Hux replied, not looking up from the sheets of paper.
  * I would expect you to connect the dots yourself, general; but I will, for once, help you. The girl you insisted on having on board is delivering the child as we speak. – Kylo said, seeing the other man’s face go from collected and calm to something closer to shock.
  * I will be going, then. Thank you. For the information – Armitage said, hating every bit of thanking the new Supreme Leader.



The medical wing was far enough from the main control room for the general to get worked up. He didn’t know how soon Ren had told him what was happening, if he had missed it altogether, or if Amalia was in the first stages of childbirth. The doctors had kept her as healthy as they could, she was ready and surrounded by a good team; so why was he so nervous?

  * General, good of you to come. This way – a nurse said, directing him to a private room, usually used by the general or the Supreme Leader in case of injury. However, Amalia was entitled to it as well.
  * How is she?
  * Doing very well, Lady Hux is strong and more resilient than a lot of women in her situation – the medic replied, and Armitage could sense just a bit of flattery. He knew very damn well his wife could deliver their child while keeping a straight face, and he didn’t need a doctor to tell him that, especially not if the words were meant to flatter.
  * I knew she would be. And the baby?
  * Fine as well.



Hux got to the room, and the first thing he saw were the machine, dozens of them of all shapes and sizes connected to his wife, his beloved partner. Amalia did nothing more than lay down, her fists slightly clenched, as a machine beeped. Seconds later, it was over.

  * I’m sorry for only coming now, Ren didn’t have the decency of telling me earlier – Armitage admitted, sitting down by his wife as a nurse checked her blood pressure, and then left the room.
  * That’s fine. I told the medics not to tell anyone until the baby was almost here. I didn’t want to distract you from your work.
  * Don’t say that, I came running as soon as I heard. To hell with all this, right now. All I care about is you and our baby daughter, anything else can wait. – Hux replied, making Amalia smile. The nurse came back, and gave her a reassuring smile.
  * Now that the general is here, we can start pushing. Are you ready? – she asked, in a maternal tone of voice Amalia was totally ignorant of.
  * I guess I am. – she managed to reply, noticing for the first time her heart beating fast: she was nervous, another foreign feeling she didn’t usually have.
  * I’m right here, you’ll be fine, and we’ll have our little one in our arms before we know it – Armitage said, holding Amalia’s hand. She was so grateful that he was there, she couldn’t believe what was happening, it all seemed too good and too surreal.



Pushing was harder than she anticipated, and it went on for what seemed like an eternity. Nothing was sitting still any more, her head was spinning. The only two things which she could still believe in was the nurse instructing her, and her husband holding her hand. Amalia couldn’t even squeeze it, she was so tired, so out of it, she just wanted to cry and be done with it. All her strength was gone, and every new push sent her further and further into a void, one she didn’t know how to climb out of.

Suddenly, a chirp. Then, a hiccup. And finally, a cry. The word became a bit more solid, and a few blinks were enough for Amalia to see everything around her a bit more clearly. First, she saw the nurse, then she saw her husband, an expression of pure amazement in his greek-like features. Finally, she found herself being presented with a small, round bundle, her arms wrapping around it instinctively.

A baby.

But not any baby; this was her baby.

The little girl was pink, her skin as soft as can be, eyes wide open, as was her mouth. Her eyes were blue, but also green; her hair was so light it was almost white. If anything had ever been perfect, Amalia thought, this baby was it.

  * She looks just like you. How did I get this lucky? How is this possible – Amalia vaguely heard Armitage say, but she didn’t agree. The baby looked like him, it was clear as day to her, and for that Amalia was grateful. She didn’t want the little one to have her eyes, she had always prayed their child would have her father’s eyes.
  * She’s perfect. Perfectly healthy. – the medic said, entering the room again. – I’ll leave you with her.
  * Do you know what her name should be? – Armitage asked, having a spark of inspiration.
  * What?
  * She’s as beautiful as a million flowers. – he suggested, seeing his wife smiling.
  * I love that. Hi, Flora. I’m your mommy, and I am madly in love with you. This is your daddy, and he is too. We’ll take very good care of you, for as long as we live. We promise, ok? We promise. – Amalia said, a tear rolling down her cheek as she looked down at her daughter, her small hand wrapped around Armitage’s finger.




	12. Think of me

_Incoming message_

_Lady Amalia Athora-Hux wishes to inform the crew of the ship Millenium Falcon that she has given birth to her first child with General Armitage Hux. The child is a girl, and has received the name of Flora Elara Athora-Hux._

  * Has anyone else received this communication? – Leia asked, turning to her officer.
  * No, ma’am. No one in the galaxy knows except for us.
  * A woman of her word. I did ask her for news, and she gave them to us. – Leia sighed, happy to know there was a new life in the galaxy.
  * Thought the kid would have his last name alone. – Finn confessed, feeling a little out of place in the general’s quarters.
  * Me too.
  * Flora Elara… interesting. – Leia let out, thinking to herself.



Poe had yet to say a word. Rose was keeping an eye on him, but she didn’t know what else to do. He hadn’t even raised an eyebrow at the communication.

_Incoming video message via holopad_

In the centre of the room, an image appeared, flickering a little before becoming solid. In it, they could see the little baby, laying down on a crib, looking up at them.

-Unbelievable. You kidnap a murderer and a couple months later you’re getting holovids of their kid with our greatest threat. Awesome. Just what we needed. – Poe spat, getting up and exiting the room.

\- She is being kind, that is all. – Leia whispered, looking at the holovid. She remembered her own son being that tiny, his small arms waving like Flora’s did now. Not in a million years could Leia believe that had gone by as fast as it did.

\- She is, I believe that too. – Rose assured, looking at the baby, and then at Finn. Could it be them, some day?

\- Poe doesn’t mean half the stuff he says, he really doesn’t. He just… he doesn’t know how to feel, and how to react. – Finn informed, knowing very well what the issue was. He felt as if Poe was slowly drifting away from them, and in a way Finn himself could not approve of. Granted, his feelings were still there, he still felt a bit too much about the pilot, especially now that Rose was awake, alive, and well. But they were dwindling, as much as it broke his heart.

\- You think he… you think he will ever… recover?

\- I have no way of knowing. And I don’t think he does either. It’s a lot to take in, even for him. The poor guy doesn’t even understand what he’s feeling, he refuses to admit she left a mark that is not easily erased. – Finn said, sounding so wise Leia smiled. She too agreed, Poe had been rendered useless by love. He had been known for flirting his way across the galaxy, and he was used to getting what he wanted. But Amalia had been a bit too much, a worthy opponent, one Poe couldn’t face in levelled ground.

* * *

 

A rescue mission. That is what he would tell himself, and that is what it would end up being. The rebels had more ships now, but not enough that one missing would not be noticed. Nevertheless, he had to do it. Finn had been right, he had been right all along. Poe had only realised as much five minutes ago, in the middle of the night. Finn wasn’t in his bunk, which was odd enough, but Poe didn’t stop to think about it too much. All he could think of was putting on his suit, take his helmet, take BB-8, and sneak out in the middle of the night.

Flying to Coruscant was easy enough, since he knew there was supposed to be a First Order parade, which all officers were meant to attend. Furthermore, and even if it was a big event, they couldn’t deny entrance to the city, and Poe knew a couple of hidden spots to land, one of them near the huge lake. As it was always night time, he wouldn’t have trouble flying under the radar.

It went off without a hitch. There were some attempts from the Falcon to communicate with him, but he didn’t reply, he didn’t want anyone to know, especially not Leia, who would be beyond upset with what he was doing.

The next part of the plan proved to be a bit trickier, as Poe had no idea where she would be staying, if she was even there. Trying to figure out a game plan, he decided to sit down at a bar, with a less than commendable crowd. One hour later, he finally got his stroke of luck.

  * Is she like they say she is?
  * And then some. My wife says she’s as beautiful as they come, but that her… energy… is completely wrong.
  * So, they’re at the palace? Figures. Only the best for those spoiled brats. Is Ren here too?
  * No, no way. They couldn’t both come. Hux is the general, he deals with this kind of stuff. Would like to know what his wife is doing here too, with the child. You’d think he’d keep her more closely guarded after what happened with the resistance.
  * Maybe he likes to show her off.
  * No, she isn’t attending the ceremonies. If you ask me, he just couldn’t bear the thought of getting his hands off her for two days. I know I wouldn’t, if my lady looked like that.
  * Have you actually seen her?
  * No, but I have heard accounts from people who have. Amazing they were still in condition to notice how she looked. Nah, a woman that dangerous, that violent… all I can say is that Armitage Hux met his match, and instead of following the typical Hux route of having her killed, he jumped into bed with her at first sight. Can’t say I blame him, not one bit.



The palace. That, Poe thought, he could work with. Of course, it would be packed with security, but he would find a way. Didn’t he always? If he had to fly to her window and jump inside, he would.

At the end, it ended up being unnecessary. He walked past the entrance to the palace a couple of times, before he was approached by a small creature wearing all white.

  * Poe Dameron? – she asked, squeaking a bit, her breath quickening.
  * That’s me.
  * My lady asks you to do her the honour to go up to her chambers.
  * Your… your lady? Who is your lady? – he asked, barely believing what he was hearing. Completely shocked, he didn’t remember to look up.
  * Lady Athora-Hux. She requested your presence.
  * How does she know I’m here?
  * She was looking out the window when she saw you. Will you come up?



Poe wanted to say yes, but he also sensed a trap. What if Amalia’s husband was there, what if she just wanted to finish what she had started, and kill him in cold blood the minute he stepped inside the building?

  * Yes, I will – he ended up saying, unable to resist.



There were stairs after stairs, Poe didn’t know how high they were, which made him wonder just how Amalia had seen him.

“She didn’t see you. She knew you were here.” He thought to himself, his heart starting to race. He hadn’t even considered what he would do if Hux was there. If she had lured him just to get him arrested.

  * Right here, sir – the small creature said, indicating a door. It was closed, but Poe waited for the small creature to disappear before pushing it open.



Hux was not there, and Poe sighed in relief. He would not like to know what would happen if the general of the First Order saw him, so close to his wife.

  * Kind of you to come – he heard her say, her voice completely different, but still recognisable. She was sitting down on a large sofa, no sign of her baby. Her hair was a bit longer, down the back of her shirt, simple, body-hugging, the cleavage a bit more than Poe would have liked.
  * Kind of you to ask. Although I would like this to be painless. I came looking for you, but you found me first, and told me to come here, not even telling me why. Is it to finish the job? You have more messages for Leia?
  * If I have a message for general Leia, she will get it directly. My husband granted your resistance truce, and I am free to do as I please with my time.
  * Speaking of your husband, where is he? – Poe asked, looking at Amalia, noticing she looked infinitely stronger, her cheeks rosy, her skin glowing.
  * Not here. You have nothing to worry about. Even if he was here, I requested that the crew of the Falcon remain safe.
  * I ask again: why am I here? Why did you call me here?
  * I could ask you the same. When I asked Milly to go down and fetch you, I wasn’t expecting you to say yes. Why did you? – Amalia asked, genuinely curious. Poe hated every bit of her gaze, he hated that her eyes were not on his face, but glancing up and down his figure, head to toe. He felt uncomfortable, particularly because he was making an effort not to let his eyes wander as hers were.
  * Curiosity, I suppose.
  * Me too. I was curious. Curious to see if you still had that look in your eyes. So much spirit, so much… passion. – Amalia said, the last word nothing but a whisper. – I told you about desire once, didn’t I? I told you that I could bring you to your knees. And here it is. Here you are. I asked you to come up, and you came, despite there being a million reasons why you shouldn’t. A stormtrooper could be in here, ready to take you into custody.
  * But there is no stormtrooper – Poe said, not sure if he liked what she was saying, even if it was true. He had weighed the options, and still, there he was. Poe cursed himself for his lack of control, but then again he had planned on meeting Amalia in Coruscant, and had agreed not to worry about the consequences.
  * No, no stormtrooper. Milly is rooms away. So is my child, peacefully sleeping.
  * Your husband? – Poe asked, not knowing why she had deliberately left him out of the enunciation of everyone’s whereabouts.
  * In a meeting. In another building. In the other side of town.
  * I see. – Poe said, but he didn’t. He didn’t know anything, he was beyond confused. – You were so bored you called me here.
  * Never, I am never bothered. Wish I could be, would make me fit in with the other women.
  * You could never fit in with other women – Poe stated, and before he could stop himself, he had taken a couple steps forward, his hands desperately reaching for her cheeks, and his lips crashing down onto hers, before Amalia could even utter a word or a protest. Her hands limply raised, and her eyes fluttered. For once, she was rendered defenceless.



The kiss lasted, and each second she allowed him to kiss her, Poe wondered how come she was doing nothing. He could see her nails, as sharp as ever, but she was making no move to hurt him.

  * Sorry – Poe uttered, backing off, completely shocked with his own behaviour.
  * What for? A kiss? Please. You have… - Amalia replied, looking at the wall - … ten minutes to really be sorry.



His hesitation lasted one second. A million thoughts crossed his mind, but none of them was vaguely important, nothing was. Amalia was still just seating down, looking up at him, a slight smirk on her face.

“She knows you can’t resist her, she knows you can’t say no.” Poe thought to himself, as he lunged forward once again, capturing her lips with his own. Her own desire took over her, her hips lifting off the couch to respond, to kiss Poe as hard as he was kissing her. Amalia could tell everything, she could sense his every last thought.

As swiftly as before, Poe picked her up, Amalia’s arms around his neck as she flung her legs around his waist, the kiss never breaking. Walking slowly, lost in all those emotions, Poe managed to sit her down on the arm of the couch, allowing her to lay back down before he climbed on top of her. Without a word, Amalia reached for his fly suit, brutally yanking it down his body as far down as she could reach. Not caring much about it, Poe ditched it on the floor as best as he could without getting off her, before he removed his shirt, his pants, and his boots. He was just as frantic when it came to rid Amalia of her own garments, throwing useless pieces of torn fabric onto the floor. Her top, ridiculously low cut, her high-waisted pants, and eventually her bra.

Before he could do anything else, he woke up, in a puddle of sweat, in a dark room inside the Falcon.


	13. A warship is no place for a baby

  * You need to talk to me, so I can help you – Rey said, watching was Poe paced up and down the corridor where they were standing. He had asked her to meet him there, but was yet to say what was wrong.
  * I… It’s hard to… to say anything. I don’t know if…
  * I can look into it… - Rey suggested, making Poe stop in his tracks.
  * Will you… are you able to do that? Look at my dreams?
  * I guess I can try. I should be able to do it. – Rey shrugged, still puzzled by the pilot’s mood.
  * That could… that could work. If you see what I see... maybe you’ll be able to help me stop it. – Poe said, an intense pain rushing over him.
  * Alright, let’s see what I can do.
  * I’m… I’m sorry in advance about…
  * Don’t worry about it. – Rey quickly said, extending her hand slightly, seeing Poe looking intently at her.



Rey felt bad the moment she accessed Poe’s thoughts. She had an idea of what she would encounter, but not like that. She could feel the desire, the yearning, the love. But the frustration was overwhelming, the sadness. The last dream was the one which stuck with her, not because of the images, but because of how sad Poe had been when he woke up.

  * Poe, I…
  * How do I stop it?
  * I don’t know… I don’t know. – Rey said, wanting the answer herself. If only she knew of a way to stop loving someone, she would have used it a long time ago, she would gladly walk Poe through it.
  * I don’t need you to feel bad for me. I just need to stop thinking about her. Is that too much to ask? – Poe asked, more to himself than to Rey, who was as lost as ever. She didn’t know how to help.
  * I don’t feel bad… I mean, I do, and I wish I could help. But I can’t. The Force isn’t doing this, and I am not sure how to block your thoughts when you’re dreaming.
  * And when I’m awake? – he asked, his eyes the size of saucers.
  * Maybe you could try meditation? Try to close that door, if you can.
  * I’ve tried that. I’ve tried it, I have tried everything. I have. Nothing works. – he said, beyond upset. He had come to Rey as a last resort, and now she had disappointed him.
  * You just have to let time decide whether you can stop loving her or not. I won’t pretend to know I know, because I do not. But please don’t lose yourself. Don’t do what you did in your dream.
  * I won’t. I don’t know where she is. I don’t want to get arrested. – Poe said, hoping he would be brave enough to say no to himself, to keep himself from going after Amalia.
  * Don’t do it. Try to forget. That is all you can do. – Rey replied, wishing it could be that easy.
  * * * *




A war ship was no place for a new born, nor was it the place for a new mother. Flora was now two weeks old, and Amalia was starting to worry that the lack of fresh air could hinder her little one’s normal development. However, she was apprehensive about so much. Although neither of them saw Armitage much, he was still around, and even if he didn’t sleep, he would always go to their quarters, to see his daughter, and to kiss his wife, even if very briefly.

  * I don’t want to go, but I am not sure it’s good for her to stay here for longer. – Amalia was saying to her husband, as they enjoyed a late lunch, in the half an hour the general had found in his schedule. Flora was propped on chest, her small head on his shoulder.
  * I know, I had thought about that as well. I think it would be better if you went back to Arkanis, this time with security to look after you both. I would try and visit as much as I could. – Armitage replied, already missing the two of them.
  * What if I missed you way too much to just stay there?
  * Well, in that case… in that case you could come here. Space travel isn’t very good for babies though, so it would have to be minimal.



Amalia sighed, taking in the sight of her husband holding their daughter as careful as could be. The little girl was strong and thriving, and so was Amalia now that the pregnancy was over. But how would they cope with being a broken family, only seeing each other with months of interval?

  * We’ll be fine. I’m not leaving you two, I promise. I’ll figure out a way of going to you as many times as I can. After all these years, I hope you know I can’t stay away from you for too long. – Armitage said, making Amalia smile. She did know that, but now she was reassured; he was the most amazing father, his adoration for Flora was evident in every cell of his being.
  * I know. I trust you. I couldn’t have asked for a better father for my little girl. We got so lucky, I never thought we’d have her.
  * Me neither. I went from thinking I was going to lose you, to the happiest man in the universe in the space of ten minutes – Armitage laughed, remembering pretty well the day his wife had simply collapsed on their home in Arkanis. The servants had called for medics immediately, and then had sent word to him. Luckily, he wasn’t very far away, and managed to get to their house in time to hear the surprising news.
  * I remember that. Wish I remembered it a bit better, but it’s alright. I recall being so shocked I couldn’t even cry. The medic couldn’t believe it either, after what happened. It wasn’t supposed to happen.
  * Best surprise in the world, weren’t you, princess? I love you more than words, and I hope you believe me, even when I’m away- Armitage said to the little girl, whose eyes were closing already, her tiny hand around his finger. She didn’t seem to like being away from her parents for a long time.
  * Is she asleep already? – Amalia asked, peaking at her daughter’s perfect small face.
  * Oh yeah, like a rock. Took her two seconds. – he replied, getting up and placing the baby in her crib.
  * Do you have to go back right now?
  * Right now? No, not exactly right now, I have about ten minutes… - but Amalia didn’t let him finish his sentence.




	14. Longing

  * What did Rey say?
  * Said I had to try and forget this whole thing on my own, there is nothing she can teach me, or tell me to do. – Poe confessed, looking at Finn, who had Rose’s hand entangled on his own. For the first time, the stormtrooper seemed calm, peaceful, not at war with himself.
  * You do. You know that, don’t you? – Rose said, seeing how much it hurt the pilot to say it.
  * I know. Easier said than done. It’s so stupid, I don’t even… I have no idea why I… I don’t know why I feel the way I do, I don’t know anything anymore. It’s so weird to think you can love someone who tried to kill you.
  * She was defending herself. And then you talked to her extensively, no one else around. – Rose remembered. – Me and Rey sometimes went to ask her questions too, and she is only human. She was even nice to us, which she didn’t have to be. I understand why you fell for her, it’s just that the circumstances were all wrong. All completely wrong.
  * In another lifetime, she could have been mine. – Poe wistfully said, feeling in his bones that it was true. In another time, in another set of circumstances, maybe they would meet and move to that cabin in the woods, have children, be together.
  * No point in thinking like that. – Finn said. It scared him to think about these things. For him, everything was as it was supposed to be, and Poe would get over Amalia soon enough.
  * I know. No point in thinking about her, really. It’s really hard not to, though.
  * Should I simply assume you two are an item? – Poe asked, not able to think about his own predicament anymore.
  * Are we? – Rose asked, looking down at her and Finn’s hands.
  * Unless you don’t want to be, I would say yes. – Finn replied, a big smile on his lips.
  * I do. I really do.



_Incoming message_

_General Leia Organa_

_Thank you for your wishes. Flora is doing as well as we could expect, especially now, here in Arkanis. I won’t lie and say I don’t wish my husband had more chances to be by our side, but I have never known anything else; I am as content as could be. I hope someday I am able to invite you here to see her._

Leia heard the communication with a slight smile on her face, appreciating the news, and the thought as well.

  * Would you like to send a reply? – her assistant asked, holding the datapad.
  * Yes, please tell Lady Athora that I am very happy to know both her and Flora are thriving. I do understand the struggle of not having your husband by your side, and if she needs anything, don’t hesitate to ask. She is not one of them, and we consider her a friend.
  * Very well, ma’am.
  * For how long have you been standing there? – Leia asked, startling Poe, who had been standing at the door for a considerable amount of time, a smile on his face as well.
  * Long enough. I got word a communication had come from Arkanis, and I…
  * You wanted to hear her voice. Which is fair, fair enough. Happy now? – Leia asked, knowing very well his smile meant yes.
  * She seems well.
  * She is well. Poe, I never thought I would say this, but… but there are some things we need to discuss. And I have an offer for you, but you will need to think about it very carefully before you even think about replying.
  * Ok…? What is it? A mission?
  * No, it’s something of a personal nature. I happen to have a message for Lady Athora. One that has to be hand delivered. And I was thinking maybe you would like to go and give it to her. She will be notified, there will be no danger. Just hand her the letter and come back.
  * Ma’am, I… I don’t know if I should do it. – Poe said, lowering his eyes. He wasn’t ready to face Amalia, he knew he would be lost if he saw her in person. He wouldn’t be able to let her go, he would never be able to let her go. He would rather be dead.
  * It is completely your choice. I have told you that. Take some time, think about it.



Two days later, Poe was jumping on a ship, making way to Arkanis, BB-8 by his side, and Leia’s message safely in his pocket.


	15. Message in a bottle

  * Ma’am, that pilot is here.
  * Milly, he must have a name, we shouldn’t refer to people like that. Would be the same as referring to my husband as that general. Doesn’t sound right, does it?
  * No, ma’am. I’m sorry. Should I send him in?
  * Yes, please.



Poe made his way into the room, feeling completely out of place in his flight suit. Everything was muted tones and fragrant smells, a big window overlooking the ravine. There were bright drawings on the walls, and a huge crib, adorned with utmost perfection.

Amalia was overlooking that particular piece of furniture, and even with her back turned to him, Poe could see she was every bit a mother. The energy radiating from her was calming, not threatening, her soft voice coming out in soft whispers, not muted laughs.

  * Lady Athora-Hux, I bring you a message from general Leia Organa…
  * No need for all that. I know who you are, you know who I am. No need to actually call me lady. – Amalia replied, turning to him, her back to the crib, her hair moving quietly over her shoulder.
  * Well, I am not here to kidnap you again, I am here as an envoy, I thought it would be necessary to…
  * It isn’t. Would you like to meet my daughter?
  * No, I’m ok. – Poe said, maybe a bit more abruptly than he intended.
  * She’s sleeping now. So peaceful… I managed to get her to calm down just five minutes ago. She heard her father’s voice on the datapad, and then wanted him to hold her, but… well, he isn’t exactly here, is he.
  * Must be hard.
  * It’s not easy, I suppose. It would be less horrible if it was just me. I learned how to live without him for long periods of time. But she wants him all the time, cries if he isn’t here. Breaks my heart. - Amalia admitted, letting out a deep breath. – But that is none of your concern, is it? Forgive me, I just felt lonely.
  * Don’t worry about it. Here’s the message. – Poe said, reaching for his pocket, every inch of him in excruciating pain. If only she would run away with him, run away from the loneliness… from everything. She would never go a day without love, a day without a kiss. Her every desire would be attended to, and the kid wouldn’t be left wanting for a father either.
  * Thank you. – she simply replied, taking the piece of paper, and setting it aside, before looking at Poe. – I’m happy you’re the one who came. I really am. I don’t know why, but I am. I wanted to say I am sorry for attacking you like that, for doing what I did to you. I hope you understand why I did it.
  * I do, I do now. And I am sorry for the way I treated you, and for the things I said when you were with the resistance. You left a lot of friends behind when you went back to your husband.
  * That makes me happy. I wish I had more friends here. Or anywhere.
  * Family?
  * Not really, no. I mean, not my own. I have a sister in law. Armitage’s half-sister, I should say. The legitimate one. – Amalia said, with a slight laugh. – She’s here with me.
  * That’s…
  * You have something to tell me. – Amalia interrupted, before Poe could say anything else. – Something to ask of me.
  * I…
  * So?
  * I don’t know if I should say it. That is not why I came here. And what I have to ask you will have a very definitive answer, one I’m pretty sure…
  * You cannot be sure until you ask.
  * So, you are saying you don’t know. That you haven’t looked inside my head.
  * You asked me not to once, I obliged.
  * I want to ask you to run away with me.



Poe was shocked the minute the words left his mouth. Amalia was too, her eyebrows raising and her eyes widening.

  * I understand you are married to one of the most powerful men in the galaxy. I know he would hunt me until I was dead, until I could never you again. I don’t even dare think of what he would do to me. But I am the best pilot in the universe, and I am willing to take us as far as needs be. Flora would come with us. – Poe stated, reaching for Amalia’s hand. She didn’t do anything, her eyes still bigger than usual, her mouth slightly open with shock.
  * I…
  * No, no, please listen. You would never be alone, you would never… anything you wanted, anything at all… would be yours. Maybe I don’t have the credits to buy you a ring like that, or a huge mansion, with help and everything. But I would love you every second of every day, I would never let you out of my sight. You would never be cold at night, your daughter wouldn’t cry because she missed her father. You wouldn’t be lonely, not even for a day.



Amalia seemed to be too shocked to utter a single word. She didn’t expect it, she had not seen any of that coming. She didn’t even have an answer for Poe, she didn’t know what to say, what was she supposed to say?

  * You don’t have to answer now. I don’t want you to decide now, I want you to think about it, and then tell me whenever you’re ready. – Poe assured, looking at their hands, placing a piece of paper to the side. – This is my datapad contact, message me when you want to say something. At any time, alright? I’ll be waiting.



Planting a soft kiss on her hand, Poe managed to turn around and leave the room, back to his ship. This time, it hadn’t been a dream.


	16. The surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a short chapter! The next one will make up for it though, as we near the end :D

  * You what? Ok no, you really are looking to get killed.
  * I don’t think so. She doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to do. – Poe said, more satisfied with himself than he maybe should be.
  * What? YOU CAN BE TRACKED THROUGH YOUR DATAPAD FREQUENCY!
  * She won’t sell us out. Besides, her husband said he wouldn’t prosecute us.
  * You’re out of your mind if you think she’s going to run off with you. – Finn said, still in disbelief.
  * She might surprise us.
  * Poe… - Rose started, not sure she should say what she was thinking, but deciding it was best in the end. – I don’t want to hurt you… I really don’t… but she… I spoke to her quite a bit and… she loves her husband. She really does.
  * Doesn’t mean anything to me – Poe said, looking down at his hands. He wanted it to be a lie, he did; but deep down he knew it wasn’t.
  * Of course, it does. We don’t want you to be disappointed, waiting for the rest of your life for something that probably won’t happen. – Finn said, seeing the way Poe didn’t let go of the datapad. It had been going on for over three weeks.



* * *

 

Amalia sat by her daughter’s crib, looking out the window, her hand captive in between Flora’s fingers. She was getting stronger by the week, and now, approaching her second month, it was more obvious.

  * How is she doing? – Armitage asked, not noticing he had startled his wife. She was deep in thoughts, and didn’t hear him approaching.
  * Oh, she’s fine, as always. Still sleeping. Won’t let go of me, the precious little one.
  * Can’t say I blame her, not one bit. How about you, how is everything going? – he asked, hearing a soft sigh escaping her lips.
  * I’m fine… just a bit bored at times. – Amalia confessed, shrugging. – I know I can’t get back to work, but it’s what I want sometimes.
  * About that… I have a gift for you. It shouldn’t be long.
  * A gift? Oh! What is it?
  * A surprise – Armitage said, making her bite her lip. – You’ll love it.



* * *

 

  * General, commander Dameron isn’t back. The search party didn’t find him, he’s nowhere to be seen on radars or communications. What should I do? – Finn said, trying to regain his breath after running all through the ship.
  * Nowhere to be seen? Oh no… - Leia said, looking at her own datapad. – Send a message to every outgoing fleet, we need to find him. Finn, do you have any idea where he might be?
  * No, I really don’t… Unless…
  * She has his contact. – Rose said, her eyes as wide as plates. – Amalia Hux has his contact, and the First Order could track someone like that in seconds.
  * Oh my god, why did he do that? Is he out of his mind? – Leia asked, not even able to wrap her head around what she had just heard. Poe was the best pilot she had ever seen, he wouldn’t let himself be caught.
  * Something like that. You don’t think…
  * I don’t know what to think right now.




	17. Desire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So when I wrote this chapter, I took inspiration from Meg Myers' song Desire. It adds to the story if you listen to it while Reading this part :D

The room was not lit, and Poe had the hardest of times growing used to such darkness. He didn’t know why he was there either, all he knew was that he had received a distressed message from Amalia, telling him to meet her as soon as possible: she had made her mind up, saying things along the lines of “I don’t know what to do” and “I’m so scared”.

Of course, he now knew that someone had intercepted the message, just as Poe was arriving to Arkanis. It also wasn’t hard to figure out who had done it, especially since Amalia was the one concerned.

  * Can’t say it’s a pleasure, but here you are. – Poe heard a male voice say, one he vaguely recognised.
  * You – he managed to say, the blood on his veins boiling. He didn’t dislike a lot of people, but the hatred he felt for Armitage Hux surpassed any other feeling he was able to have.
  * I should have killed you when I saw your little ship. But no, I decided not to do it. I decided to give you some use. How dare you go to my wife’s quarters, ask her to run off with you? How dare you do that, in my house, in front of my daughter? – Hux asked, his voice dangerously calm.
  * She didn’t exactly tell me to leave, now did she? – Poe said, mockery latent in his voice.
  * That is none of my concern. What she chooses to…
  * The message she sent me really didn’t sit well with you, did it? Tell me, how will you explain to the whole galaxy that your wife wanted to run off with a rebel? That she told me, word by word, she was scared, and that she needed me to go get her? – Poe retorted, looking straight ahead.
  * No need to explain anything, really. No need for this to ever leave this room. And while we’re at it, no need for you to leave either. After all, why would I let you, a man who has been actively pursuing my wife, live after I caught you? – Hux asked in return, smiling to himself.
  * I wouldn’t either, I will devote every breath I take to get her away from you.
  * I know you have been… around… the stormtrooper who deserted us. And I know he had some very interesting things to say about me, and about Amalia too. Care to repeat them?
  * He knows she was sent to kill you, she’s a mercenary and a murderer. – Poe said, forcing himself to say those words.
  * Something else?
  * – Poe admitted, when suddenly a very weak light came on.
  * Not a mercenary. A murderer under the right conditions. When they don’t… cooperate. – a different voice said, one Poe knew way too well for his own liking.
  * And do they ever, when they lay eyes on you – Hux replied to her, an arrogant smile on his face. Poe couldn’t see Amalia, but he urged to be let go, to look at her, to make her go at once.
  * Now you, Poe Dameron, you are proving to be a bit harder to break. But don’t worry, we have all the time in the world. – she said, and Poe could feel her breath on his ear, those tantalising lips on the skin. He was so exhausted all of a sudden, that he didn’t even understand what she was saying.
  * What? What are you saying? Let’s go, let’s just go. – Poe said, nearing desperation.
  * No reason to be all pent up like that. We’re not going anywhere, not yet. I intend on taking my time. See, my husband thought I deserved a gift, one last gift before I retire completely, to look after our baby and our garden. And oh, I love gifts, I’ve received plenty. But you are, by far, the best of them all. – Amalia said, her voice a subtle hiss, rather than soft like it had been when Poe went to deliver the message. He could feel her presence, he could even see the fabric of her dress, the outline of a perfectly shaped leg. – Thank you, lover.
  * You’re welcome. – Hux replied, almost making Poe throw up. This wasn’t the Amalia he knew, this wasn’t the woman he loved. She was harsh, she was wild, but deep down she was good. This woman was rotten to the core.
  * Now let’s see… what do you deserve for wanting to break an innocent family apart? What should happen to you for being so naughty? – she asked, her mouth again on his ear.
  * You’re monsters, both of you. You did this to get me, you did this to torture me. – Poe suddenly said, wondering why it had taken so long for him to understand. -You get off on violence – he said, his eyes straight on the other man’s, as he leaned against a wall. – and you are nothing but a violent, murderous slut.
  * You’re wrong, I don’t particularly “get off on violence” as you have said. But I do have to admit there is something entirely satisfying in seeing my beloved wife so happy. She always had rather simple taste, and I am more than willing to provide. – Hux said, the smug smile still on his face.
  * Monsters, both of you. Making me… making me fall for you, just to lure me into a trap, just because you like torturing people! – Poe spat out, but then he lost his voice. Amalia had moved from his side, and was now directly in front of him, her hands on his thighs, her eyes at the same level as his. It was then he realised there was no way she was human: her eyes were pure gold, her hair glistened in the dark with unusual intensity.
  * I didn’t make you fall for me. I told you once, not too long ago, that I had no such powers. You fell for me because you wanted to, and now… well, now I just used it to my advantage, didn’t I? In my defence, I never did say anything about running away with you. What I really wanted was to have you here, in my room. The stormtrooper, Finn, used to clean it after I was done with it. If I let you out with your life, I would very much like if you could tell him what went on here, that it was me all along. See, I never came here to kill anyone, and I never killed for money. That is not what I had in my job description. What I was always good at was gathering information. As… messy as my methods might have been. That is why this handsome officer behind me… - Amalia said, turning her head back to look at her husband, a small laugh leaving her lips. – was sent to recruit me. The First Order has a number of prisoners, he said, and they all possessed information which could benefit the galaxy. That would have been enough to sway me, but he had… other methods to make sure I would take the job. – Amalia said, her eyes only occasionally leaving Poe’s.
  * You said you needed to think about it. I merely sped up the process, really. – Hux said, him too laughing. It was a sound Poe never thought he would hear, and he disliked it as much as he thought he would.
  * I loved it. Every bit of it. I did, flyboy. Deep down, I was as weak as you were, as you are. I knew desire could work wonders, but lust… Lust I wasn’t prepared for. All that power, all that… purpose. And then came love, and I was even weaker. That’s when I realised what I had neglected to figure out all these years. You can make someone hurt physically, and they might just make it, might just like it in some cases, they might resist. But then there are other ways, ways I only mastered recently. That is why I managed to put those thoughts, those dreams into your head. Didn’t even need to use the Force, the power of suggestion was enough. Allowed you to make me yours once, even. – Amalia whispered, making Poe let out a deep breath.
  * Get on with it. Whatever you want to do to me, just make it quick. – Poe asked, refusing to be in that situation, in that limbo, with the truth being thrown at his face, one more second. It was more than he could take.
  * Permission to interrogate the prisoner, general?
  * Do you even have to ask?




	18. The pilot and the secret retriever

  * I think that’s enough, don’t you? I did grant his people truce, shouldn’t overdo it. – Hux said, making those words the first ones Poe heard correctly. Just seconds ago, he had been screaming so loud he couldn’t even hear himself think.
  * I guess. Oh well, this was incredibly fun anyways. Really did enjoy it. A girl couldn’t ask for anything else. – Amalia said, a smile spreading from her lips to her cheeks.
  * Just let me go. Please let me go. – Poe gasped, not even having the strength to look down. He knew his chest was dripping in blood, he just didn’t know why.
  * I’ll have them prepare the ship. Hope you’re up to flying? – Hux asked, making Poe spit on the ground. How dare that man even say a word to him? – And as for you… - he said, grabbing his wife by the waist. – Don’t wash your hands.
  * Didn’t plan to. – she replied, giggling to herself.



It was the last sound Poe heard before he passed out.

* * *

 

  * He’ll probably recover. He’s been through worse. – Finn said, looking over his friend in the bacta tank.
  * Worse? Finn, have you seen… have you… - Rose stuttered, unable to look away, but wishing like hell she could. Every line was so perfect, so straight, a work made by the most skilful hands. And yet, so grotesque, so horrifying. It would leave scars, and Poe would be reminded of his torture every time he looked at himself in the mirror. A shirt could cover it, but it would still be there, etched onto his skin.
  * I know. I had seen it before. Some of the people in my platoon had variations of it. You know… when they disobeyed. – Finn informed, looking at Leia, who was yet to say a word.
  * This is just… pure and utter sadism. She played us all. Played us all, pretended to be kind, to care… only to do this afterwards. – Rey said, speaking for the first time. Anger was boiling inside her, an anger greater than anything she had ever felt.
  * And to think he went there to save her. To think he loved her. – Rose replied, looking at the suspended body, wishing again she could unsee everything.
  * I know. Conclusion is, people are horrible. Especially the ones who work for the First Order.



Poe woke up a few days later, the rosy skin replacing the damaged one. He looked tired, exhausted even, not wanting to speak to anyone, not wanting to see anyone. His heart felt as though it had been ripped from his body, his soul shattered.

  * I was meant to tell you… she… she told me to tell you… that it was her all along. That the interrogation room… was hers… and that… when you cleaned it… you cleaned up the mess she… she had made. – Poe hesitantly said, in one of the rare days he allowed Finn into his room.
  * That’s not important now. How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?
  * No, no, I’m ok. Ready to fly again. Ready to kill those two. Make them suffer, make them hurt. – Poe replied, meaning every last word. He couldn’t deal with the fact that Amalia and Hux were alive and breathing, together, happily ever after. It was more than he could take.
  * We’re not strong enough to take on the First Order, you know we’re not. Besides, they can’t hurt you anymore. Not here. – Finn said, scared Poe would try something again, that he would try to kill them both alone.
  * They’ve done enough to hurt me for the rest of my life. – Poe stated, sounding so tired it hurt Finn as well.
  * I can’t imagine what you went through. I cannot imagine… but I guarantee you it won’t happen again.



* * *

 

_Incoming message_

_Lady Athora-Hux_

_We are appalled, shocked, and profoundly disappointed by your actions. We thought truce meant something more to the First Order, and to you in particular, but apparently not. You have injured, without cause, a very fine man, attracted under false pretences. We will not stand for this, and to that effect, we declare the truce to be over._

Amalia heard the communication, sitting down on her armchair, a delicate glass with a sparkly drink in her hand. The other occupants in the room, her husband Armitage and lieutenant Mitaka, heard attentively as well.

  * Shocked. I like that. I must say I like it very much. Not to mention the magic words: the truce is over. You’re free to do as you like, finish them. – Amalia said, taking a sip of her drink.
  * Would you like the pilot again, milady? Maybe FN-2187 this time? – Mitaka asked, as Kylo Ren entered the room.
  * No, no, I’m ok. I’ve retired. For good this time. Besides, after you kill what’s left of the resistance, what use would you have for me? – she asked, turning her head to the men.
  * Amalia, you went way too far this time – Ren said, his voice hidden behind the mask.
  * I always go too far, you always say that after I’ve done your dirty work for you. Humanity doesn’t end wars, nor does it start them. – Amalia replied, getting up from the armchair and making her way to the exit. – All I ask is for you not to ruin his face. He’s really quite attractive, would be a shame to let all that manhood go to waste. With all due respect, lover.
  * Non- taken. – Hux replied. He could not love her more than when after she had displayed all that sweet brutality. She even seemed more beautiful in his eyes.




	19. Love me or kill me

  * General… they´re coming – Finn simply said, knowing Leia would know exactly what he meant. Even the air seemed different, thicker. The anticipation was killing them.
  * Let them land. Let them see what’s happening. – Leia replied, unable to do much more. – This is my fault. I shouldn’t have called off the truce. I shouldn’t have… I should have kept an eye on Poe, should have looked after you all better. Now the truce is off, and the First Order is coming. I don’t even know what to say to you. I’m sorry doesn’t begin to cut it.
  * We followed you because we believe you, General. Let them come. We’ll fight with everything we have, we’ll fight to the death. I promise, we won’t leave you, and we’ll surrender our lives if needs be. – Rose said, hoping she didn’t have to keep her promise, especially not now her and Finn were getting on so well.
  * I shouldn’t have the right to ask that from you. If anyone… if anyone wants to hop on a ship and escape, they’re free to do so. Broadcast that to the entire base. Tell people to leave if they want to. – Leia asked her assistant, who nodded once and left.
  * We’re staying. So is Rey. She… she is hoping… maybe she can be an advantage for us – Finn said, exchanging looks with Leia.
  * Do we know who is coming?
  * No, we don’t. – Rose admitted, before the whole ship shook, the very ground wavering.
  * They’re here. I’m going out, see if there is anything I can do to at least spare some lives.



True to her word, Leia held her head high and made for the exit. Rey met them half way, as did Poe. They exited the ship together, the ramp lowering into the sunlight. On the other side, a big ship stood, completely black, some TIE fighters by its side. The ramp was open as well, but no one was coming out.

  * He’s here – Rey said, not needing to speak another word: everyone understood what she meant.
  * Anyone else? – Rose asked, clasping her fists, so no one could see her shaky hands. Finn noticed, and held them in between his.
  * _She_ is here. – Rey said, a wave of disgust running through her, one that ran through all of them. Poe felt as if his scars were alive, the pain as sharp as when he had received them. Strangely enough, he was calm, calmer than he had ever been. The one and only think bothering him was the thought of his friends losing their lives; for him, there was nothing left.
  * Why did they…



But Finn never got to finish what he was saying. In truth, every word was wiped clean from his brain, as he realised what was happening. The TIE fighters suddenly jumped to gear, a monumental noise above their heads. Only then did several platoons of stormtroopers come down the ramp of the bigger ship, standing in perfect formation in front of them all. Finally. Two figures emerged from the ship, bypassing the troopers and standing right in front of them

  * Ben… - Leia let out, her voice so weak only Rey, standing millimetres away, could hear.
  * I know. – Rey replied, taking her hand and squeezing it for reassurance. It wasn’t easy on her either, to be so bluntly confronted by the man she had thought she loved, all that time ago, before Crait, before everything. She could feel him still, as alive inside her as she knew she was inside of him. But at that moment, Rey thought, they couldn’t be more apart. She was marked for death, and he was marked a killer, perhaps even her killer. And she found that she didn’t mind. For a split second she could feel the same feelings, coming from someone outside the two of them. It became obvious, as she looked around, who mirrored her wish. Poe was dead as it was, his body the only thing present in the world. If he had to die, Rey heard him thinking, he wanted Amalia to do it. He wanted her face to be the last he saw. It could sound strange to someone else outside the two of them, but It wasn’t, not really. She tortured him, she had hurt him beyond words, beyond comprehension. But he loved her, against all reason, against all truth and evidence. Ben hadn’t been kind to Rey very often either, he had killed people she loved. But the cruelty, the horror, it didn’t belong to him, it wasn’t his, not really. He was a product of his circumstances, and so was Amalia in a way. She couldn’t be any less than a sadist when sadism was all she knew. She couldn’t be less than a torturer, if torture was all she knew. The brief happiness she had shared with her husband, was the love shared by two equally damaged souls. How could they learn better, when worse was all they knew?



Both Ren and Hux stood still, observing their surroundings, not looking at their enemies not even for a split second. Truth be told, they were expecting something else, something more, something better. But no; the Resistance was down to a couple dozen people, half of them not even seeming old enough to grow a beard.

  * Ben… - Leia repeated, taking a step forward. – Ben, please… You can have me… But let these people go.
  * Ben Solo is dead. – the modulated voice replied, him too taking a step forward. – None of you will make it out of here alive.
  * Ben, don’t do this. Don’t do this. – Rey asked, pleading as Leia did. – Your issue is with me. Fight me, do whatever you want. But let them go.
  * Issue? No, I don’t have an issue with you. You made your choice. And now you’ll pay for it. That is all I have to say.



The silence was deafening. No one dared speak another word, the anticipation weighing heavy on everyone.

  * Do you surrender? – Hux asked, looking them over for the first time.
  * What happens if we do? If I do? – Leia asked back, taking yet another step forward.
  * Execution, without a fight. The younger ones can join our ranks, but not before being put in their place. Luckily, we have someone with us who can help with that. – the general replied, as calm and collected as ever.
  * We won’t. We want to fight. We will fight. Leia, we won’t surrender, we’ll fight by your side until the very end. Until the very end. – Poe stated, advancing to her and looking her straight on.
  * Poe, there is no need to do this. I have lost my family, my everything. I won’t survive if I see you die. I’d rather save you.
  * I won’t go down without a fight. And I’m pretty sure no one here will. – Finn reiterated, standing by Poe’s side, blaster in hand.
  * Are you sure? – Leia asked, taking a deep breath.



The first thunderous blast destroyed a TIE fighter, and its response one of the resistance ships. Before any of them knew it, everything had descended into chaos. There were ships in the air, individual duels in the ground, blasters being shot, and two lightsabers cutting the air.

Blood stained the floor in less than ten minutes. The air was heavy with dust, the noise of engines and the smoke from fires making the atmosphere heavy, and next to unbreathable.

In the midst of all the destruction, no one remembered to look up, until a series of blasts took down the dreadnaught which had transported the stormtroopers. Shot after shot decimated the entire First Order fleet, knocking their army to the ground, adding to the red thick coat that covered the mud.

When the dust settled, and the newly arrived ships landed, it was all quiet. Not a scream, not a moan, nothing. It was like nothing had happened.

Rose was the first one to her feet, trying to focus her vision, trying to make out something, a sign of life, anything. Looking around, all she could see were bodies everywhere, some stormtroopers, some officers, some Resistance, some First Order. Her first thought went to Finn, her eyes frantically looking for her beloved, for the man who had given her smile back. She finally found him, blood dripping from his mouth, the faintest whisper of a breath leaving his lips. From behind her there were steps, and a loud beeping noise.

  * Move girl, he’s still alive, but not for long – some unknown person said, carrying a stretcher and a datapad, the source of all the noise.
  * Where are you taking him? Who are you? – she asked, not letting go of his hand. She refused, so the man just allowed her to follow him.
  * We’re from the Republic, what’s left of it, anyways. We came to help. Now let me take him, he’s safe with us – the man said, leaving Rose behind.
  * Rose! Rose! You’re alive! – she heard another voice saying, making her turn around, seeing Poe standing right in front of her, bloody shirt and head, but very much alive. – The Republic… I would have known that ship anywhere. They came, finally.
  * I can’t believe it… where’s everyone else?
  * Leia… Leia didn’t make it. A blaster ray got her. – Poe said, a trail of tears marking his muddy cheeks. Rose couldn’t stop herself from crying either; their mentor, their mother, was gone.
  * Rey?
  * I don’t know, I can’t find her. – Poe admitted, wanting nothing more than to wake up, to find out all of that had just been a bad dream.



But it hadn’t. He had only to walk a few more steps to see his worst nightmare developing before his eyes.

  * No, no, please. Please, oh maker, please… - he heard, even before he saw her. – Please don’t take him, please…
  * It’s ok, it’s fine, you’ll be fine.
  * No, no. Don’t say it, don’t say that, stay with me, stay here with me, stay with me, please. Think of Flora, think about her, don’t leave us, promise me you won’t leave us.
  * I’m sorry. I am. You are more than I could have ever asked for. I love you. So much. I love you more than words, more than actions, more than the number of stars in the sky.
  * And I love you. I won’t be long, I promise.



Her knees were on the dirty floor, her pants ripped, her hands bathed in blood. Her hair was fallen over, enveloping what was now nothing more than a dead body. The sound of her sobs made Poe stop in his tracks, wishing there was something he could do.

  * There is. Help me keep my promise. – Amalia whispered, only loud enough for him to hear.
  * I’m not like you.
  * You promised me a joke. I’ll exchange that for a favour. For the greatest favour of all. Help me. Please.
  * You deserve to live with the pain. You deserve to die a million deaths, I won’t grant you the easy way out. – Poe replied, full of despise.



It was only then that Amalia had the strength to look up, to look away from her husband. Her heart seemed to have been ripped from her chest, she had never felt that much pain in her life. Poe hadn’t wanted her to do it, the last thing he wanted was to see her face.

It was drenched, her tears falling with overwhelming speed. More than that, she was covered in blood, but he didn’t know who it belonged to.

Her eyes weren’t gold anymore, her hair wasn’t the pure shade it had once been. Everything about her was gone, except for her beauty. It wasn’t muted, it was just changed. Amalia was more human now, as if the pain had grounded her, brought her back to basics. And Poe was weak, weaker now than he had ever been before. He couldn’t say no.

Approaching her, he took the blaster she was offering, but tossed it to the ground. If he was going to do it, he wanted to do it himself.

  * Thank you. – was the last thing he allowed her to say, before his fingers wrapped around her slender throat, the air struggling to get into her system. But not for once did she wince, did she gasp. Her hand, firmly grabbing on to her husband’s, the one with all the rings in it, went limp first, before her eyes began to close, and life left her. Amalia’s body fell slowly, gracefully, her head on Armitage Hux’s chest, as if they were simply sleeping, peaceful at last.




	20. Her

  * Commander Dameron?
  * That’s me.
  * Hi, my name is Syrena, I’m with the Resistance. I believe General Leia Organa left something for you. Her body has been retrieved. – he heard a female voice say, but he had no strength to look up and reply.
  * Not in the mood right now.
  * Do you mind if I seat here? I need to speak to you about what just happened. – Syrena went on, making Poe simply shrug.
  * Look lady, I don’t really care why you showed up, where we are going…
  * I’m not talking about any of that. I’m talking about the woman you just killed. – she said, catching him completely off guard.
  * She asked me to.
  * It doesn’t matter. I’m not here to judge you, to make you stand trial. I understand. I just want you to know I saw it, and… and that I am grateful you granted her wish.
  * Why would you be?
  * Maybe if you looked at me it would be a bit more clear. – Syrena simply stated, but Poe didn’t care to oblige. – Can’t really force you, now can I? Well, if you care to do as much as listen, my name is Syrena Athora, and that was my half-sister you just choked to death. We share a mother, not a father. I never knew Amalia’s dad, and I didn’t know mine either, we both got our mother’s last name. She was a prostitute, and she sold us both before she died, for one last drink. I hear you have a friend who went through the same thing. Anyways, I was sold to a nice family, who took me in as a daughter who happened to be handy at cleaning too. Amalia was sold off to a brothel, and had to survive on her own. That is how I ended up being a communications officer for the Republic, and she… well, she ended up torturing people, and marrying Brendol Hux’s bastard son. It makes a difference, love. I’m sorry about what she made you do.
  * Her daughter? – Poe forced himself to ask, making Syrena smile. Only a man this selfless would love Amalia. The only other kind of man who could lover her sister was one who was as bad as her.
  * We have her. I’m keeping her, for the time being. Then, when we get to our city, I might hand her over to my aunt. I spend a lot of time travelling, and couldn’t take her with me.
  * You did what was right. And you’re allowed to recover, to get over everything. We’ll get you help. And we’re always looking for pilots, so you have a job if you want one.



Poe felt the girl getting up and starting to walk away, his hands still covering his eyes. The pain was still too much, too real. But he felt like he had to pull himself together, for Leia, to start looking for Rey, whose body hadn’t been found.

  * I’m sorry, what was your name again? – he asked lifting his eyes up from his hands.



She had dirty blonde hair, which fell down her back, much longer and wavier than her sister’s. They were both slender, but this one was slightly shorter. She wasn’t wearing a dress, but practical pants, tucked inside dark navy blue boots. When she turned around, Poe realised.

It had been her all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the fic is complete! Thanks for hanging with me to the end, hope it was worth your while :D


End file.
